Polygraph Calibration for Beginners
by absedarian
Summary: Swan Queen / Bering & Wells: When Regina is framed for Archie's murder, she realizes that Sheriff Swan needs to get her lie-detecting abilities checked. Regina calls a friend from the world of endless wonders for help. OUaT / WH13 crossover. Rating now changed to M.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own OUaT. I don't own Warehouse 13. Don't look so surprised.**

**Spoilers: Anything up to The Cricket Game (OUaT) / Season 4 (WH13) is fair game.**

* * *

"I need your help."

Helena closed her eyes. The voice on the other end was still as dangerously low and unconsciously seductive as the first time she'd heard it. Maybe even more so without the devastating beauty of the woman distracting her from the richness of it.

She already knew she would help, no matter what. "What can I do for you?" H.G. wasn't sure she heard correctly, but she could have sworn she heard a sigh of relief.

"I'm being framed for murder."

"Really?" Helena's raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

There was a growl at the other end and H.G. could practically see how the woman pulled herself together and bit back a snarky comment. "A lot has happened since the last time you were here." The rich voice was quiet. "The curse was broken, Henry has left me to live with … Emma, and everything I've built is falling to pieces."

"Oh Regina, I'm so sorry about Henry." Helena focused on the important part. "I have a good idea of what that must feel like."

"I know you do," Regina said. "You always understood me quite well."

"Well, we do share a tendency to want to destroy the world when we're lost in grief ..." H.G. marveled at the fact that they could actually talk about their past acts like this. "So, who are you supposed to have killed, and how can I help?"

"Sheriff Swan and those idiots, the Charmings, think I killed Archie Hopper and -"

"They think you killed the cricket?" Helena couldn't believe it. "But you almost sort of liked him."

"_Yes_," Regina ground out. "However, they don't know that and apparently they somehow saw that I did it."

"But you definitely didn't?" H.G. felt she should at least ask.

"Fair question," Regina conceded, "and the answer is no, I did not kill the bug. Which is why I need you and one of your wondrous artifacts that can prove that I'm not lying." There was a pause. "I couldn't care less what the Charmings think, but I need to prove my innocence to Henry ... and-"

"To Emma?" H.G. asked gently. "How are things between you two? The last time we spoke things were just getting complicated."

Regina actually laughed. "Things between me and Sheriff Swan have always been complicated, and I'm afraid they always will be."

H.G. listened closely to her friend's voice. "But you would still like them to be less complicated, don't you? Have you ever gotten around to telling her how you feel about her?"

"Have _you_ told Myka?" came the quick and biting retort.

"You know things are c-"

"Complicated, yes," Regina interrupted. "I know, believe me." She swallowed. "Will you help me?"

"I'll be there as soon as possible," Helena replied, then hesitated "I might bring Myka."

"Good." This time H.G. knew what she heard was relief. "I'll be at home or in the vault."

"See you tonight."

/|||\\\

H.G. spent the next hour at the computer in the Warehouse office looking for a lie-detecting artifact. There were a few possibilities, but ever since the "reset" of the Warehouse by way of the Astrolabe the artifacts had started to move to different places on the shelves. Her plan was to make a list of possible objects and then go to the Warehouse floor and try to find them.

"What are you doing?" Artie snarled from the door.

Helena rolled her eyes. Even after everything they had gone through, Artie couldn't shake the suspicion from his voice. She turned around to face him and saw that he had been followed into the office by Myka, Pete, Steve, and Claudia.

"Hello, Artie," she greeted him with a genial smile. She had promised the Regents she would behave, and behave she would. "I'm looking for an artifact." She saw Artie take a breath and continued before he could interrupt. "A friend of mine is in a bit of a pickle and asked for my help and I need-"

"You will _not_ check out an artifact for personal use," Artie exploded. "That's not how we do things here! No matter how you did things in Warehouse 12! Wait, you have _friends_?"

Myka walked over to H.G. and stood slightly in front of her as if to shield her from Artie's wrath and insensitivity. "Maybe you should let H.G. explain before you start yelling, Artie," she said calmly.

"I don't need an explanation!" Artie bellowed. "She will not take an artifact to do who knows what with it!"

H.G. looked at the ground. "I wish I knew what else I could do to prove to you that I would never do anything to hurt the Warehouse, Artie." She looked up, but he avoided her gaze. "If you don't know that by now, I fear there's not much I can do." She walked around Myka and closer to Artie. "And yes, I have a friend out there in the world. This friend is in trouble and I'm going to go and help her, with or without an artifact. Having a lie-detecting artifact would just ensure that I can help her quicker and could come back to work faster. But make no mistake, I will leave today to help my friend."

"What kind of trouble is your friend in?" Claudia asked.

"She's being framed for murder," H.G. explained. "And since she has a very ... complicated relationship with the local sheriff ..." Her eyes wandered to Myka's for a moment. "Let's just say the authorities are disinclined to believe her because of her past, a situation I'm intimately familiar with."

"She's a criminal?" Pete asked.

Helena shook her head. "It's complicated. She has done things she's not proud of, but it's not my story to tell and I won't betray her trust."

"You will if you want to use an artifact from the Warehouse," Artie grumbled.

H.G. looked back at him. "Then I won't use an artifact. I will not betray confidences, Artie."

Steve cleared his throat. "I might not be an artifact, but I _am_ a lie detector. You could take me." He shrugged. "Wherever it is you're going."

"Maine," Helena said with a smile. "My friend lives in Maine."

"I've always wanted to go to Maine in winter," Myka added. "I've heard it's supposed to be really cold there this time of the year."

H.G. smiled, knowing what Myka was trying to do, and by the horrified looks on Pete's and Claudia's faces she was successful. "Yes, it can get quite chilly there."

Artie, who had been quiet for a surprisingly long time, cleared his throat. "Well then," he said. "Since it looks like you are hell-bent on going, I won't stop you." He looked at Myka and Steve. "Myka, you're going with her." He had the decency to blush at sending Myka along as a watchdog. "I will not let you take an artifact, but you can take Steve with you." He made shooing motions with his hands. "Now, go."

"I want to go too," Pete and Claudia shouted predictably and simultaneously.

"Sure, leave the Warehouse alone," Artie muttered darkly. "You can't go, you have work to do. We have a ping in Honolulu and you're leaving tonight."

Pete and Claudia did a little happy dance. "Hawaii, yeah!"

Steve gave a Artie a long look, but decided not to call him on the fact that his lie detector had just gone off. Instead he was happy for Claudia and Pete and he knew that Artie probably had some old artifact in mind for them to find there.

Myka smiled tightly. Things between her and Helena had been somewhat complicated lately and she was determined to use this opportunity to find out what was going on. She loved H.G. and for the longest time she had been certain that H.G. had felt something for her too, that they were just taking things at a glacial pace. And then ... H.G. had withdrawn, had stopped her flirting and Myka had been left confused and increasingly frustrated.

She just had to figure out a way to ditch Steve long enough to actually have a chance.

/|||\\\

The purple smoke settled slowly as Regina Mills appeared in her bedroom. She hoped that two hours in the vault had been long enough to get the Charmings and the Blue Fairy off her front lawn and away from the house, but just to be on the safe side she had decided against materializing in the foyer.

She stayed still for a long moment, just listening to the familiar sounds of her house until she was certain that there was nothing out of the ordinary there. Only then did she straighten her jacket and open the door.

The house was indeed empty, just as she had hoped. She might have been able to deal with Emma Swan's presence and, of course, Henry's, but she was in no mood to deal with the other idiots more than she had to. Unfortunately, with the Sheriff now convinced that she had actually killed Archie, there was no chance of talking to her to clear things up, to try and find out what was going on.

Because, frankly, Regina had no idea and that was a scary feeling. She hated not being in control and she couldn't wait for Helena to get here, hopefully with some way to help prove that for once she was actually innocent.

The sound of her phone wrenched her from her thoughts. She pulled it from her pocket, curious who it might be, torn between hoping to hear her son's voice and expecting it to be Helena.

_Huh._ She had not expected it to be Emma Swan. "What do you want?"

"Where are you, Regina?" The Sheriff sounded harried.

"Do you really think I'd tell you?" Regina scoffed. "So you and your ... parents can come and arrest me?"

Emma didn't say anything for a few seconds, but Regina could hear the sounds of someone walking and a door opening and closing. Then a deep breath. "Listen, Regina," Emma said after what seemed like minutes. "I don't know why you killed Archie, I just know what I saw."

"I don't know what you think you saw, Ms. Swan," Regina interrupted icily, "but I can assure you that I did not kill Archie. Why would I? He was about the only person in this town still willing to talk to me and see my side of things."

Emma barked out a sharp laugh. "Your side of things?"

Regina swallowed. "My side of things, yes," she ground out. "You don't actually think I cursed an entire land just because your mother was supposedly fairer than me or because I got bored one Friday afternoon, did you?"

"You're right," Emma admitted. "I don't know everything about what made you who you are -"

"Were," Regina muttered.

"... who you _are_," Emma barked, ignoring Regina. "But I doubt anything that's happened to you is even remotely bad enough to make what you did okay."

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Regina was dismayed to realize that her voice was shaky, and not necessarily from rage. "No idea."

"How can I?" Emma sounded almost resigned. "Nobody ever tells me anything because they all think I should have some innate knowledge of everything that happened back there. But all I know I've pieced together from Henry's book, which I doubt tells the whole story, and bits and pieced Snow told me. _You_ certainly never gave me a chance to see your side since you were too busy trying to chase me out of town or killing me."

"I never tried to kill you," Regina corrected quietly.

"Fine," Emma growled. "Put me to sleep for eternity, as if that's any better. God, this is all so fucked up." She paused and Regina could almost see the expression on the sheriff's face in her mind. "I really believed you, you know," she said. "Until I saw you kill him with my own eyes I really believed you were innocent. Why did you do it?"

Emma actually sounded a little broken now, which had the effect of calming Regina down. "I have no idea who killed Archie," _although I'm beginning to have a terrible feeling about this_, "but it wasn't me." For a second she wondered if what she was planning to say next was a good idea, but then she forged on. "If you meet me at my house tonight, alone, I'll be able to prove it to you." _I hope._

Emma laughed bitterly. "You actually think I'll meet you at your house alone?" She snorted again. "You actually believe my overprotective parents will let me out of their sight for more than ten minutes to visit a murder suspect?"

Regina raised an eyebrow at Emma's caustic tone. It seemed not all was happy at Casa Charming. "You could behave like the adult you are and just do what you want. You are the sheriff still, are you not? Or has your mother managed to smother all your gumption yet?"

"Gumwhat?"

"Look it up.," Regina snarled. "Really, Ms. Swan, your vocabulary is deplorable. I despair for my son's future if that's what he has to aspire to now."

"He's our son, Regina," Emma reminded her. "And his vocabulary is just fine."

"Anyway, in case you were actually afraid of me ... rest assured, we won't be alone," Regina said. "A friend of mine will be there and I'm sure you and your parents will be relieved to hear that she's a government agent. You will be perfectly safe." There was more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "As you would be if it were just me."

"_You_ have a friend who's a government agent?" Emma was audibly surprised. "Like what? IRS or something?"

Regina chuckled, knowing the Warehouse cover story from Helena. "No. Secret Service, actually."

"You know I won't trust them either if they're your friend, right?" Emma asked, although she sounded slightly impressed.

"I know," Regina said. "But if you're actually interested in finding out whether or not I'm guilty, you'll show up anyway. My friend is bringing something that can detect lies."

"_I_ can detect lies," Emma protested, although she didn't sound fully convinced.

"Then your inherent ability should tell you that I was telling you the truth when you asked me about Archie, until you saw whatever it was you saw."

"When do you want to meet?"

Regina closed her eyes in relief and breathed out, hoping that Emma couldn't actually tell over the line. "How about 9? My friend should be here by then."

"I'll try," Emma agreed. "And I'll try to come alone, but I can't guarantee it. You know them ..."

"I understand," Regina said. "See you tonight."

/|||\\\

"Are you going to tell us more about your friend or are Steve and I going to go in blind?" Myka carefully steered the car along the icy Maine road.

Helena was startled out of her thoughts. "Whatever I tell you about her will sound unbelievable," she said after a moment's thought. "I don't even know where to start."

"Well, I can verify whatever you're saying," Jinks threw in from the backseat.

Myka nodded. "As for where to start ... why don't you tell us her name and how you met her?"

"Her name is Regina Mills and she is the mayor of Storybrooke," Helena began. "But that's not all she is or was."

"What does that mean?" Steve asked.

Helena turned in her passenger seat so she was facing both Myka and Steve. "Regina and everybody else in Storybrooke are not from this world," she said quietly. "Everybody in that town is a fairytale character."

The car swerved as Myka looked first to Helena and then at Steve for confirmation. Jinksy nodded. "She's not lying."

"But that's not possible!" Myka exclaimed.

"Yet it's true."

"So how did they end up in the real world?" Jinks asked.

H.G. cleared her throat. "Regina cursed all of them to live forever in a land without magic, never to remember who they really are. She wanted to take their happy endings away."

"She cursed everybody," Myka repeated, sounding dumbfounded. "But why?"

"That's a long story that's not mine to tell," H.G. answered calmly. "But yes, she did curse everybody and she's done some other things in her past, which is why the people in Storybrooke now believe she killed one of them."

"That doesn't make sense," Myka muttered. "If they were cursed, they wouldn't remember her as the bad guy, so what happened?"

"The curse was broken."

"How?"

"I don't know," H.G. admitted. "Regina just said that it was and now everybody remembers who they used to be."

"That would make things quite awkward for her," Steve quipped.

"That's not all that's awkward ..."

Myka shot her a look. "You mentioned that she has a complicated relationship with the sheriff?"

H.G. snorted. "That's putting it mildly. You see, Regina adopted a child a good ten years ago and the sheriff is the boy's biological mother. Henry ran away about a year ago to bring her to Storybrooke to break the curse. You see, the sheriff is also the White Knight, the savior ... and the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming."

Myka shook her head. "I'm having a very hard time wrapping my head around all of this," she finally said.

"How come you know all this?" Steve asked. "I would assume she didn't go around telling strange people about the curse."

"I went to Storybrooke on the search for artifacts when I was first trying to get back into the Warehouse," Helena explained. "The whole town pinged my artifact radar and I wanted to see what it was about. I don't know why or how, but Regina and I soon recognized each other as ... kindred spirits and we got to know each other quite well."

"How well?" Myka growled without taking her eyes of the road.

"Well enough," H.G. replied gently. "Well enough to share our stories." She refused to divulge more. "I've been back a few times, but this will be the first time I've gone back since the curse ended."

"Is the shared son the only reason things are complicated with the sheriff?" Jinks asked suddenly.

Helena shot him a look. "No, it's not," she said. "There's also the fact that the sexual tension between Regina and Sheriff Swan could power a small town." _Not unlike the tension between me and Myka._

"They're a couple?" Myka asked.

H.G. shook her head. "They're both too stubborn to admit that they feel anything but acrimony for each other, at least to each other. If asked, Regina will swear that she hates Emma Swan, and Ms. Swan will say the same thing about Regina. Yet they were sleeping with each other on a regular basis before the curse broke."

"Ouch," Steve said. "Hate-sex?"

"If that's what you want to call it," Helena agreed. "But I don't think that's all it is, at least not any longer."

"But if hate is all there is from the sheriff's side," Myka said, "convincing her that Regina is innocent is going to be very difficult."

"Which is why we need a reliable lie detector," Helena agreed with a nod to Steve.

"Well, let's hope that it's enough to get through all the feelings between them, good or bad," Myka mumbled.

"Yes." Helena sighed "We're almost there." She fished her phone out of her pocket and speed-dialed a number. "It's me," she said. "We'll be there in about 20 minutes." She checked her watch. "Should we get rooms at Granny's first? – Oh, okay, sure, that's fine. – See you then." She ended the call and stashed her phone. "We're going straight to Regina's house."

Myka nodded, but her thoughts were still on Helena's short phone call. _She has her number on speed-dial?_

Ten minutes later H.G. pointed at a sign by the side of the road.

_Welcome to Storybrooke._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, follows and faves. They make me happy. :)**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own any of them.**

* * *

Emma paced back and forth in front of her bed, trying to come up with something to tell David and Mar- ... her _parents_. She was torn between telling them that she was meeting Regina, knowing full well that they would never let her go into the lion's den alone, and just lying to them. There was a part of her that didn't want her parents anywhere near Regina's house this evening, the part of her brain that kept wondering if Regina would really kill Archie in such a crude manner. The part that believed in her own lie-detecting abilities, which had told her that Regina had had no idea that Archie was even dead when they had confronted her.

And then there was the part of her that could not fight down the feelings she had for the other woman, no matter how unlikely, no matter how hard it was, no matter how much it hurt to feel anything but hate for the Evil Queen. Her heart, however, didn't care who Regina used to be ... was ... God, she didn't even know what to think anymore ... all her heart could see was the woman who held her after their vigorous sex, who ran her hands up and down her back, soothing the pain from the scratches left just moments before. The whispers against her temple when Regina thought she was asleep and wouldn't hear, the soft uttering of her name, over and over again, the soft sighs.

"Emma?" Snow's voice pulled Emma from her thoughts.

"Coming." _Time to come up with something, Swan._

"There you are." Snow looked up when Emma entered the kitchen.

"Here I am."

Snow frowned. "What's going on?" She pointed at the blue leather jacket in Emma's hand. "Are you going somewhere? I was just making dinner." The implication was clear.

Emma shook her head. "Not hungry, sorry." She looked around."Where's Henry?"

"With your father," Snow replied, ignoring Emma's slight cringe at the term. "They went to the store to pick up a few things."

"Ah." Emma shuffled her feet. "Listen, I need to get out of here for a while," she finally said, lifting the hand with the jacket.

"Why don't you wait until after dinner? Then we could both go on a walk. I could use one as well."

Emma shook her head almost violently. "No." She took a breath. "I _need_ to get out of here, Snow," she tried to explain. "And by out of here I mean I need to be alone. What the hell is wrong with me wanting to go out for a while?"

"It's not safe, Emma." Snow's voice was slightly shrill. "Regina is out there somewhere and-"

_No, she's at home, waiting for me. _"Even if she was, she wouldn't hurt me."

"You can't know that!"

"I _do_ know it, Snow." Emma was adamant. "Trust me."

"I do trust you," Snow said grudgingly. "I do not trust her. She's completely evil."

"She's not," Emma mumbled.

Snow dropped the knife she had been working with. "She just killed Jiminy in cold blood!"

Emma ignored her and walked to the door pulling on her jacket and a thick scarf.

"Where are you going?" Snow quickly walked over.

Emma opened the door. "I told you, out."

"We're in the middle of a conversation!"

"This conversation," Emma ground out through gritted teeth, "isn't getting us anywhere. We're done here."

"Your father's not going to like this."

Emma turned towards Snow. "I don't give a flying fuck whether David likes it or not." With that, she left and slammed the door shut. She quickly walked to her bug, glad that Henry was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't sure she could have explained all of this to her son.

At the last second, she decided to walk to the mansion. The last thing she needed was for her parents to drive all over town to try and find her car. Once she was walking at a quick gait, she felt relieved at the prospect of being out of her parents's sight, even if it meant spending the evening in the presence of a potentially deadly and stunningly beautiful former Evil Queen.

For the first time in days, Emma Swan smiled.

/|||\\\

"You're early." If Regina was surprised by that fact, it didn't show in her voice, but her words also lacked the disdain they would normally hold. And to Emma's surprise Regina's face actually showed something other than contempt. To the sheriff, it looked a lot like relief.

"I needed to get out of there." No need to specify. "Snow can be ... clingy." Emma shrugged.

"One of her specialties, even as a child," Regina muttered under her breath. "Half the reason why my life got so thoroughly ruined." She opened the door wider to let Emma in.

Emma raised an eyebrow at that barely audible statement. "Some day you will have to tell me the whole story," she said seriously as she brushed by Regina, closer than necessary. "Snow refuses to share."

"Dear, sweet Snow is probably afraid she would choke if she admitted anything that could reveal any kind of selfishness or wrong-doing on her part."

Again Emma was surprised. Regina sounded bitter, but there was only a trace of the usual venom in her voice, especially considering she was speaking of her arch-enemy. "You're eerily calm," she commented. "Is this where I should freak out because a storm is coming?"

Regina closed the door behind Emma. "There comes a point," she replied, "when you've lost everything you hold dear, when you can either rage against the vagaries of life or ..." She trailed off.

"Stop! God, just stop! You sound like a Shakespeare drama," Emma barked. "This isn't like you, Regina." Emma had no idea where the other woman was coming from and it was making her very nervous. She didn't know whether to run for the hills or pull Regina into her arms, and she didn't like the feeling one bit.

"What isn't, dear?"

"This ... this resignation," Emma said, confusion written all over her face. "You're an all fire and ice, take life by the horns, to hell with fate kind of woman." _That's what draws me to you like a moth to a flame._ "Not this ... shell that's completely given up."

Regina looked surprised. "I haven't given up, Ms. Swan," she said. "But I know that I can't convince you to believe me when for some reason you're so certain that I killed Archie." She crossed her arms to prevent her hands from reaching out to Emma. "Arguing with you further would serve no purpose, so I've decided to be civil and wait for my friend to arrive." She didn't mention that it was all she could do not to throw herself in Emma's arms and ask her to believe her, and that this quiet detachment was her way of maintaining her sanity.

"Ah yes, your knight in shining armor." Emma snorted. "I wonder who that might be." There was a small part in her heart that screamed that it should be her.

"She's no knight," Regina said drily. "That is your job, after all." _And if you just trusted yourself more, I wouldn't need outside help._ Aloud she said, "And you've met her, if I remember correctly." She vividly remembered Emma's reaction to Helena and now she counted down in her head wondering if the sheriff would figure it out. _Three, two, ..._

Emma didn't have to think too hard to come up with a name and a face. _Oh, hell no._ Her blood began to boil as she remembered the feeling she had when she saw Regina and that other woman together. "Helena Wells," she muttered darkly. "You asked _her_ for help?"

Regina nodded. "She's the only friend I have left, and she actually has the means at her disposal to help me."

Emma snorted derisively. "Yeah, I'm sure she does." She locked eyes with Regina. "She would probably say anything to help you."

"Oh, Ms. Swan, stop being jea-"

Regina's exasperated reply was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Emma pulled it open so hard that it knocked against the wall, and she was faced with three people, only one of whom she had expected to see. "Ms. Wells."

"Sheriff Swan, how wonderful to see you," H.G. said genially. "I see you remember me." She looked pointedly at Emma who was blocking the door with a wide stance. "May we come in?"

Reluctantly, Emma stood to the side and watched as Helena Wells and her two companions entered the house. Helena rushed straight over to Regina and pulled her into a tight hug. Emma's heart dropped when Regina's arms wrapped around the taller woman and clenched into her jacket. She couldn't tear her eyes away but she prayed that her face didn't reflect the inexplicable feeling of dread that churned in her belly and made her want to pull Regina from the other woman's arms.

Myka watched the scene, her face and feelings unknowingly matching Emma's, while Steve closed the door and then simply stood by, observing the four women.

_Interesting_ , he thought.

/|||\\\

After what felt like hours Emma cleared her throat, her eyes focused on Regina and Helena in their comfortable and apparently never-ending hug. The two women pulled apart, but Emma noticed that Regina kept a hand on Helena's biceps. Emma's eyes moved to the tall, curly-haired woman standing next to her when she felt her twitch, and she was surprised by the open look of dismay on the beautiful features. _I wonder if I looked like that just now. _

Emma tried to look indifferent as she pointed vaguely between all of them. "Would anybody care to tell me who you are and why Regina thinks you may be able to help her clear her for a murder we have an eyewitness to?"

Regina was shocked. "An eyewitness?"

Myka looked between Regina and Emma before turning to Helena. "I thought you said she didn't do it," she stated, doubt creeping into her voice.

"I didn't." Regina straightened her shoulders and walked closer to Myka. Helena trailed after her. "That's exactly why I'd like to know who the eyewitness is," she said calmly, tilting her head in Emma's direction. "Because whatever the sheriff _believes_ her eyewitness may or may not have seen, I did not kill Archie Hopper."

Steve thought this was a good moment to interrupt. "Just in case anyone's interested," he said, "she's telling the truth."

Myka and Helena relaxed instantly, which surprised Emma. "You're just going to take his word for it?" she asked.

"Yes," Myka replied with a shrug. "Steve has the ability to tell when people are lying. He's a human lie detector. Never fails."

Emma scoffed. "Well, so am I, and I'm _not_ convinced Regina is telling the truth."

"Well then," Helena said, "maybe your lie detecting abilities need some ... calibrating?"

"And maybe," Emma countered, "I need some proof and not just an off-hand comment from a guy I don't even know, no offense." She shook her head. "I repeat, I don't even know who you people are, let alone why I should believe you."

Regina cleared her throat. "I apologize for my lack of manners," she said, her voice too polite to be sincere. "Helena, would you do the honors, please? I'll go fix us all a light dinner. I think we might need it."

"And a drink," Emma muttered.

"And drinks," Regina agreed. "Might need those, too," she added under her breath.

"No cider."

"So sorry, Ms. Swan, but I believe I'm fresh out of cheap beer." Regina smirked and headed for the kitchen, feeling a little more in control of the situation now that she had backup.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks again for the reviews and follows and faves. They are much appreciated. I don't always get around to replying to the reviews, but I do read them, and they make me ridiculously happy. :)**

**A/N 2: This chapter is a little shorter, but it seemed a good point to stop. Don't worry, the next chapter will be up before the end of the week.**

**Disclaimer: To everyone's surprise - I'm sure - I still don't own OUaT or Warehouse 13.**

* * *

Regina paused in her chopping when she heard steps behind her. "Introductions were made to the sheriff's satisfaction, I presume?" she asked Helena, who walked around the counter to stand next to her.

Helena nodded. "She had a hard time believing we're government agents, but Myka and Steve showed their little badges, so Sheriff Swan had no choice but to believe them."

"What about you?"

Helena shrugged. "Showing her my badge would have been pointless. Emma wouldn't believe me if I told her the sky was blue." She sounded slightly exasperated. "Really, Regina, did you have to let her believe we've been conducting some torrid affair behind her back?" She put her hand on Regina's shoulder. "What was the point of that?"

Regina looked at her from the corner of her eyes. "Entertainment?" she said with a smirk. Then she turned serious. "Maybe I just wanted her to see that somebody wanted me."

"Well, it looks like you were quite convincing, darling."

"Unfortunately, Myka believes the same thing," Regina commented.

"What do you mean?"

"When you hugged me earlier, I saw Myka's face," Regina explained. "She was watching us ... and she was watching Emma's reaction to us, and she took her cues from that and took a wild leap to the wrong conclusion."

Helena groaned. "Oh no, that is not good."

"I'm sorry, dear. Looks like we need to clear up more than one misunderstanding tonight." Regina viciously chopped a pepper. "Speaking of tonight ... are you staying here or would you prefer to go to Granny's?"

"I'd love to stay, but I'll have to ask Myka and Steve."

"You'd have to share the guest room with Myka," Regina said quietly. "It might be a good opportunity for you two to clear the air and finally have that talk that appears to be long overdue. Just tell her you love her."

Helena raised her eyebrow at that. "Sage advice, darling. Are _you_ going to follow it and tell Emma?"

Regina closed her eyes and let her head fall onto her chest. "Yes," she breathed. "Yes, I will." She took a deep breath, raising her head, almost defiantly. "Anyway, Mr. Jinks could use Henry's room since my son ... _my_ son is currently living with his ... grandparents and his _real_ mother." Her voice hitched, heavy with sadness and barely repressed anger.

Helena squeezed Regina's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She could feel Regina's pain radiating through her whole body. "We'll stay. I've always loved your breakfast, after all."

Regina chuckled and looked gratefully at Helena who decided to change the subject. "How come you're still chopping vegetables by hand? Isn't your magic back?"

"I find it relaxing," Regina said evenly. "And I promised Henry I wouldn't use magic for the time being."

"But you do have it back?"

"Oh yeah, I have it all back." For a second Helena wondered if she imagined Regina's eyes turning slightly purple. She decided she had when the purple was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "But magic is different here."

"Different how?" Helena asked. She turned her head towards the doorway for a second, thinking that she'd heard a noise there.

"Back in the old world, my magic was at its strongest when I was angry or filled with hate," Regina explained, oblivious to H.G.'s focus on the doorway. "The angrier I was, the more power and control I had, so being angry all the time was as natural and necessary to me as breathing. Not that I had to work hard at that," she finished with a snort.

Helena turned her attention back to Regina, now quite certain that someone was listening to them. She could only assume it was the sheriff. "And here?"

"Here," Regina sighed, "here it seems the other way around. I couldn't even get my magic to work until Emma touched me." Helena's eyebrows shot up at that. "And now it goes ... awry when I'm angry." She shrugged. "It's hard to explain, it's still new to me. Let's just say that using magic when I'm angry here in Storybrooke is a bad idea." She hesitated. "The only way I've found to control my magic so far is by thinking of the people I love."

"That is a _huge_ difference."

Regina snorted. "You can say that again." She faced Helena. "So far, the only way for me to control my magic is to think of Henry and ... and E-" There was a slight scuffling sound from the doorway and Regina's voice trailed off.

"I think we may have company," Helena whispered in Regina's ear. Aloud she said. "I understand. Well, I'm going to grab our things from the car and get settled in our rooms." She kissed Regina's cheek and left.

In the hallway, H.G. smirked at Emma who was leaning against the banister trying to look innocent, but only managing to look sad. _At least I can't fault your taste, Regina. I hope this works out._

/|||\\\

Emma's blood was boiling as she watched as Helena followed Regina into the kitchen. She knew she had no claim on Regina, but she couldn't shake the possessive feeling coursing through her body ever since she had realized that Helena was the friend Regina had called in to help.

She remembered the first time Helena Wells had come to Storybrooke, her arrival making a big splash. Strangers just _didn't_ come to Storybrooke, and they certainly didn't start hanging out with the mayor. But that's what had happened, and it had the whole town talking. Even Mr. Gold was making inquiries, but nobody ever found out who the stranger was, at least not to Emma's knowledge. Not even Henry seemed to know.

Emma could easily recall the sinking feeling in her stomach when she watched Regina and Helena having lunch at the diner, talking quietly, obviously enjoying each other's company. The looks, the touches, the easy conversation. She remembered the sound of Regina's laughter, a sound she wished instantly _she_ would have brought forth from Regina.

Emma also remembered that when Helena was in town, _she_ never got to go anywhere Regina ... or her bedroom. It hadn't been a giant leap to assume that her space in Regina's bed was otherwise occupied.

Her mind's eye conjured up images of Regina and Helena in bed together, bodies writhing in passion, the sounds of their love-making in the air, and for a moment she thought she would throw up. _Why am I feeling this way? I shouldn't care if she's sleeping with that woman or ... or half of Storybrooke. _Truth was, she did care. She cared a lot, but her brain still refused to go where her heart had been leading her for a while now.

She realized that she had been lost in thought for a while when she saw Myka staring at her. "Um, I'm going to go and ... er ..."

She fled the room, not even bothering to come up with an excuse. Her curiosity was too strong to be ignored. She crept along the wall towards the kitchen and positioned herself so that she could listen, but not be seen or, hopefully, heard by the two women talking inside.

Emma had no idea what she expected to hear but listening to Regina talking about the changes in her magic wasn't it. She was glad to hear that Regina was keeping her promise to Henry, but surprised that there also seemed to be another reason for her to take a break from magic. When Regina spoke of controlling her magic through love, Emma tried very hard not to to read anything into the fact that it had been her touch that had jumpstarted Regina's magic here in Storybrooke, that for all intents and purposes they had created magic together.

Then Regina talked about people she loved. _Plural. _Henry, of course, no surprise there. Emma knew that Regina loved that little boy more than her own life or that damn curse. It was hearing about the other people that Emma was interested in and she leaned in a little closer, scuffing her boots loudly against the wall as she did so. She cursed inwardly when Regina stopped speaking mid-sentence. _Graceful as always, Swan_. She dared to peek carefully around the doorjamb and saw the two women standing very close together, Helena's lips touching Regina's ear while one had seemed to caress her face.

_God, so Regina really did love Helena. _

The thought broke her heart ... _it fucking hurt ... _more than it should have, and in that second she became aware that her feelings for Regina went far deeper than the occasional ... _okay, regular_ hot sex, fueled by aggression and Regina's irresistibility.

She stopped caring that Regina might have killed Archie ... _no! that she had evidence that she killed him,_ that she was the Evil Queen, that she had ruined her life, her parents' life. Emma shook her head and closed her eyes as she finally admitted to herself that she was in love with Regina.

And that her chance was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Again, thanks for the reviews, faves, and follows. They're all very much appreciated. I'm glad there are more people who like both fandoms. :)**

**A/N 2: I like my OTPs happy ... just in case anyone was wondering ... ;-)**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, don't own any of the people in this story. I'm just borrowing them for a bit of fun.**

* * *

"This all must be quite strange for you," Helena remarked casually as she led Steve up the stairs.

"Not any stranger than being dead or working with H.G. Wells," Steve muttered. "What's solving a little trouble between the Evil Queen and the White Knight after that?"

Helena laughed. "Thank you for offering to help, Steven. I appreciate it very much." She touched his arm. "Regina is a good friend and right now she needs someone to stand up for her."

"Like Myka did for you?" Steve asked knowingly.

Helena nodded. "We all need friends sometimes, especially if we don't think we deserve them." She opened the door to Henry's room, trying not to feel bad when she heard the other agent sigh at the size of Henry's bed. "I'm sure you could also camp out in the sitting-room downstairs," she said apologetically. "Or you could get a room at the bed and breakfast, but I can assure you that Regina's pancakes are really great."

"Eh, it's fine." Jinks shrugged with a grin. "Reminds me of my childhood room a bit, actually." He looked around. "And it looks like I'll have lots of comics to catch up on tonight."

"Great." She showed him the bathroom, which the three of them would all have to share, then made her way to the familiar guest bedroom. She dropped the two duffel bags on the bed – hers and Myka's – then stood by the window, looking out into the backyard.

"Thank you for getting our bags," Myka said from the door. "It's a beautiful room."

"It is." H.G. turned around, a smile on her face. "The view is nice, too ... I've always liked it."

"Oh." The surprise in Myka's voice was hard to miss. "I thought ..."

"I know what you thought, Myka," H.G. said gently, moving closer to the other woman. "However, the only room I've ever slept in when I was here, was this one."

Myka's eyes shone a bright green. "So you didn't ..."

"Myka, I've never slept with Regina," Helena interrupted quietly. "No matter what Sheriff Swan believes."

"Why is that?"

"Why is what?" Helena asked. "Why haven't I slept with Regina? Or why does Emma think I have?"

"Both."

"Well, I'm the only person who openly touches Regina without losing a hand or an arm, so that's probably what the dear sheriff based her assumption on." Helena smirked. "Add to that the fact that she's probably in love with Regina and you have a potent recipe for misunderstandings and jealous urges." She paused. "Regina may have also played it up a little bit in Emma's presence to make her jealous."

"So Sheriff Swan is in love with Regina, but she believes she killed this Archie?" Myka shook her head. "That is a little _beyond_ complicated, H.G." She bit her lip. "What about Regina? Is she ..."

Helena nodded. "It took me forever to get her to admit it, but yes, she's in love with Emma. I'm not sure even she knows how much, but if you see her when she's talking about the sheriff, or see her looking at her when she thinks nobody's watching, you can see it."

"I hope that doesn't backfire on Regina," Myka murmured. "All these confused and hidden feelings. I can see how Emma would have a hard time believing Regina or us if she really has some kind of evidence, no matter how fabricated it might. Jealousy can make you do really stupid things."

"Like jumping to conclusions?"

Myka nodded. "Yeah, and feeling incredibly foolish sometimes."

Helena pulled Myka into an embrace. "You wanted to know why I haven't slept with Regina?" she whispered. "The answer is: I couldn't." She pressed her lips against Myka's curls. "I couldn't because like Regina I'm in love with somebody else."

Myka gasped. She pulled out of the embrace to meet Helena's eyes, which were calm and focused entirely on her. H.G. smiled, answering the silent question, and without another thought Myka pressed her lips to Helena's in a firm, but gentle kiss. There was no hesitation, no making sure at the last second.

Helena moaned deep in her throat. She had wanted this for so long, had waited so long for Myka, had waited so long to feel at least a little deserving of happiness. She felt the touch of Myka's lips like an electric current and she had to pull Myka closer just to stay standing. Her brain almost shut down when Myka mirrored her groan.

They spent a few minutes exploring each other, their mouths moving passionately, kissing, sucking, nipping until they were breathless and trembling. Reluctantly, H.G. pulled away, only to move back in to press her forehead against Myka's. She swallowed audibly and Myka smiled knowingly, pressing a kiss to Helena's nose. "As much as I'd like to continue this," H.G. said hoarsely, "we have a puzzle to solve."

Myka grinned. "And a day to save." She sighed. "So, how do we get the sheriff to trust Steve's abilities? And how do we get Emma and Regina to admit they belong together?"

"Why, Agent Bering, I didn't know you were such a romantic," Helena teased.

Myka laughed. "Must be the company."

"Must be." Helena pressed her lips against Myka's nose, then straightened and pulled away from Myka's arms. "As for getting Emma to believe in Steve _and_ Regina... I have an idea."

/|||\\\

Dinner was quiet and somewhat uncomfortable. Conversation was mostly held up by Regina and Helena who caught each other up on what had happened since the last time they had talked.

Myka swallowed as H.G. shared stories about the Warehouse so freely. _Artie's going to freak if he finds out._ Then she remembered that Helena had already shared the true nature of their work with Regina. She touched H.G.'s arm. "Wait a second," she blurted, interrupting Helena in the middle of a sentence, "are you telling me Regina is your _one_?"

"Yes, she is," H.G. replied, her eyes wandering to Emma, who was being very quiet and looked slightly nauseous. "_You_ already knew about the Warehouse, darling." She turned her head and winked at Myka.

"Ah, okay," Myka said easily. "That certainly explains it."

Emma swallowed hard. _Regina was Helena's "one"? What did that even mean? _She felt her throat tighten and she tried to swallow again. With dismay she saw that it had been audible enough for Helena and Regina to look at her curiously. She thought she saw compassion in Helena's eyes, but Regina's were unreadable.

"Would somebody _please_ explain this "one" business to the uninitiated?" Regina asked into the silence. She kept her eyes on Emma and saw the other woman fidget and wince. _Before Emma bolts or gets a really, really wrong idea. Or bursts a major blood vessel. _She knew, after all, what "the one" sounded like to somebody who had just recently received an unsolicited immersion therapy in fairytales.

Myka took pity on Emma and Regina. "Warehouse agents are sworn to absolute secrecy," she explained. "And I mean we can't tell _anyone_. One of my colleagues, Pete, didn't know his mother had been working for the warehouse his entire life until a certain mission brought them together." She winced, remembering the whole Sykes fiasco. "We're allowed _one_ person that we can tell the truth." She looked at H.G. "Usually, it's a really big decision to make because once you've used it up ..." She shrugged.

"Which means that agents normally pick a life-partner, like Peter's mother did by choosing her husband," H.G. continued. "But in my case it was a little different. I picked Regina because she is someone who understands me."

"H.G. also has an unhealthy disregard for rules," Myka added, "seeing as she made no attempt at hiding our job from you, Sheriff. Which means, of course, that you're her "one" now, too. Or her "other" or whatever we want to call it."

Everyone chuckled. "Let's not lose ourselves in technicalities," Helena said with a wink. "We do, after all, have more important things to talk about."

The mood around the table immediately sobered. "Right," Regina said.

"So how are you going to convince me?" Emma asked, but it didn't come out nearly as cockily as she had hoped.

"We are going to ... calibrate your own lie detector and prove Steve's abilities at the same time ... until you're convinced," Myka explained H.G.'s plan, having realized that Emma reacted most openly to her.

"How?" both Emma and Regina asked.

"Easy. We're all going to share some truths or tell a few lies, and both Emma and Steve will call it."

"So basically you want to play truth or dare? Really?" Emma snorted. "Now that's gonna be interesting."

"Quite possibly," H.G. agreed easily. "It's more like 20 questions, however." Her face turned serious. "Listen, Ms. Swan, so far we've been very open with you and if it helps you see the truth, we're willing to continue to be so. The least you could do is appreciate that this is not an easy thing for any of us."

"Which is why nothing that gets talked about now will leave this room as far as we're concerned," Myka added quickly.

"I'm not really into the whole share my feelings thing, no offense," Emma said, holding her hands up in front of her as if to ward off some unseen enemy. Although getting to hear some of Regina's secret thoughts was a very tempting incentive. _Might even be worth it._

"Really, Ms. Swan?" Regina asked bitingly. "And _I_ am?"

"We're all pretty secretive people," Myka said.

"Except for Mr. Jinks here maybe," H.G. added.

"Oh, don't worry about me," Jinks said with a broad grin. "My plan is to sit back and watch you."

"So we're going to ask each other questions?" Emma asked.

Myka nodded. "That should make it more interesting, don't you agree?"

"We should at least try and make the most of it, and I'm sure there are questions you're burning to ask," Helena added, ignoring Regina's exaggerated eye rolling.

Emma's mind went to all the things she'd like to know about Regina and the things the Evil Queen might ask her. She cleared her suddenly dry throat. "Can we please get another drink for that?"

"Does alcohol affect your ability?" Myka cocked her head, her voice showing nothing but genuine curiosity.

Emma shook her head. "I'm not planning on getting drunk," she added. _At least not yet._

Helena and Regina shared a look and Regina stood up. "I'll clear the table and get us another round of drinks."

Helena followed and grabbed some of the empty plates. "I'll help."

In the kitchen they unceremoniously dropped the plates and cutlery on the counter. "Are you ready for this, Regina?" H.G. asked seriously. "We just think this might be the easiest way to get Emma to believe you. I also think it might be time she heard your side of the story." _And maybe we can get you two to admit your feelings. _

Regina closed her eyes with a sigh. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I don't really have a choice." She wiped her hands on a towel. "I'm so tired of all the secrets anyway, and maybe Emma will understand a few things when she knows my story. _If_ she is interested enough to ask about it, that is." She snorted bitterly. "Or she might just hate me even more ... but since she already hates me that shouldn't make a difference, right?"

Helena grabbed Regina's shoulders. "Emma doesn't hate you, Regina."_ On the contrary, my friend. _She palmed the former queen's face. "But if you think this will be too much for you, I'm sure we can find another way."

Regina thought for a moment. "No, no, you're right." She straightened her shoulders and leaned back from Helena's hands. "Let's get this over with."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, follows and faves. I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes these two fandoms together. :)**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own any of the characters. Pity.**

* * *

Everyone had just settled back around the dining table, when a loud, metallic screeching noise startled Emma and Regina.

"One second." Myka gave them an apologetic look as she calmly reached into her back-pocket to pull out her Farnsworth, which to Emma looked like a mix between a large smartphone and a metal cigarette holder. Myka got up to take the call, and Helena and Steve followed her into the foyer.

"What is that thing?" Emma asked quietly, looking at Regina.

"I have no idea, Ms. Swan," Regina replied, "but I'm sure it's none of our business." She smirked. "Then again, you and your family do have this annoying propensity for ignoring little things like that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma hissed. "And would you please call me Emma, dammit?"

Regina gave the sheriff a long look, giving herself permission to take in the sight of her fully for the first time that night. Emma had dropped her leather jacket - _just flung it somewhere, knowing her_ - and was sitting next to her in a dark green shirt that was open enough for Regina to spot the expected tank top underneath. The color of the shirt brought out the color of Emma's eyes and she found herself-

"You're staring," Emma mumbled, not unkindly. She only did it because she was beginning to feel very warm under the dark-eyed gaze. If she hadn't had the feeling that Regina wasn't really _seeing_ her, she might have felt even hotter.

Regina shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"No problem." Emma shrugged. "It's not like I don't stare at you, too ..." Regina raised her eyebrow at that and Emma wondered if she had said too much. _Wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last either._ She sighed. "Look," she said, her hand flexing around her tumbler of hard cider. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier today ... about you never being able to change? I should know better than most people that it's possible."

Emma focused on the swirls the amber liquid made in her glass as she moved it, her hand rotating counter-clockwise. "It's just that ... I'm pretty confused at the moment, and maybe Helena is right and my lie detector needs to be tuned ... because I believed you when you said you didn't kill Archie and then I _saw_ you killing him and-"

"Ms. Swan ... Emma." Regina's voice was gentle and low, curling around Emma's heart and drawing her eyes from the contents of her glass to Regina's face. "We'll figure it out." She dared to reach out and touch Emma's arm and was dismayed when the other woman visibly flinched at the gesture. She pulled her hand back as if from a hot plate and barely managed to stop herself from apologizing. _What is wrong with me?_

Emma reached out quickly and covered Regina's hand with her own. "Sorry," she whispered. "It's not you, I'm just-"

Whatever else Emma might have wanted to say was lost when the Warehouse agents returned to the table. Regina groaned inwardly at their timing.

Myka shrugged apologetically, sensing they had interrupted something. "That was our boss, sorry. He can get a little disgruntled if we don't call in regularly." Both Helena and Steve snorted at Myka's words. "Okay, okay, cantankerous would be a better word."

"Not unlike a certain small town mayor I know," Helena said with a wink in Regina's direction.

"Watch what you're saying, H.G." But to Emma's surprise, Regina was smiling. "And it's former mayor now, I guess."

"Oh?" Helena looked at Emma. "Who's the mayor now?"

Emma was still looking at Regina. "Frankly, I'm not even sure Storybrooke has one at the moment."

"Well, I guess your _mother_ will take over sooner rather than later," Regina spat. "She is _the queen_, after all, and your father is even less qualified for the job than she is."

Myka wondered about the reason for the venom in Regina's voice. It was clear that she had a major problem with the sheriff's mother. _Well, makes sense if she's the Evil Queen and Emma's mother is Snow White. God, how did we end up being involved in a fairytale? Endless wonder indeed. _

Emma just nodded, surprisingly okay with Regina's statement, however bitter it may have been. She knew David didn't have the skills and Snow would probably consider it her duty as the queen, but to Emma all of that seemed just wrong in so many ways. She couldn't imagine anyone but Regina in the mayor's office, and she really didn't even want to think about having to work for her mother. She shivered at the thought ... she'd never have a minute without her parents ever again.

She rolled her eyes, deciding that banging her forehead against the table would probably make her look childish.

Steve decided to use the momentary lull to get things going. "I think we should get started by each of us asking someone else a question." He looked at the four women, H.G. and Myka to his left, and Regina and Emma to his right, neither of whom looked like they wanted to start. "Don't make me pick one of you."

"All right, all right." Helena sat up straight and met Regina's eyes. "There's something I've been wondering for a while now ..."

"Yes?" Regina sounded vaguely suspicious.

"How old are you?"

Regina burst out laughing in surprise. "_That's_ what you've been wondering?" Helena just grinned. "Okay, okay ... Biologically, I'm 36, but I was born 64 years ago."

Emma stared at her, disbelief written all over her face, but then she turned to Steve and nodded. "I know it can't be true, but I think it might be." She shook her head in amazement. "Makes sense with the whole curse thing."

Steve nodded, too. "No lie."

Helena grinned widely. "So young! Marvelous!" She winked at Regina who smiled, knowing just how old Helena was.

Emma's mind was racing. There were so many things she wanted to know about Regina, so many questions she wanted answers to ... but at the same time she realized that she wanted to ask most of those questions in private, when there weren't three other people in the room with them. She just needed to trust her lie detector first, so ... something simple first.

"How old are you, Helena?" was the question Emma's mind decided to settle on.

Myka and Steve grinned knowingly, while Helena cleared her throat. "I turned 146 in September."

"No way," Emma stated. "It's just not possible." But she hadn't really been able to spot the lie. Still .. _no freakin' way_. "I'm calling a lie. You're trying to mess with me."

"I'm not, it _is_ true," Helena said, "and it's also a long and dark tale, which we'll leave for some other time." Emma saw shadows chasing each other across the other woman's face. _Must be quite a story._ She watched as Myka's hand landed gently on Helena's and stroked it comfortingly. That little gesture made Emma feel as if a huge weight was slowly being lifted from her chest.

Emma looked at Steve, who shrugged. "It's true," he said. "H.G. is positively ancient."

"If you think I'm old, you should meet my old friend Magnus," H.G. commented with a lopsided grin. "She turned 162 last August." Her grin widened at the look on Emma's face.

Regina took pity on Emma. "Maybe we should give Ms. Swan here at least some explanation," she said to Helena. "So my question is more of a request: Tell the sheriff who you are, H.G."

"Yeah," Emma interjected. "Who the _hell_ are you and why does everyone here call you H.G.?"

"Well, my name is Helena George Wells," Helena explained. "H.G. Wells for short."

"Your parents called you _George_?" Emma asked. That was not the reaction the others had expected and they all stared at the sheriff.

"Really, Ms. Swan?" Regina's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"What?" Emma asked defensively.

"You've never heard of H.G. Wells?" Steve asked.

"Well, yeah," Emma drawled with a shrug, and for a second Regina clearly saw the resemblance between her son and the sheriff. Only he would have said something like _'duh'_. "He was an old English guy who wrote science-fiction books. I think I had to read one of them in high school. It wasn't all that bad." She shrugged again, pointing at Helena. "But she's not a guy ... a-and ... she's ..."

She saw the way everybody was looking at her. "Oh my God, are you saying that ...?"

"Which book did you read in high school?" Myka asked - predictably, at least to Steve and Helena -, ignoring Emma's question.

"Um ... 'The Time Machine'," Emma replied, never taking her eyes off H.G.

"Your favorite." Helena smiled at Myka.

"So, what's your verdict?" Steve cut in. "Truth? Blatant lie?"

Emma shook her head. "This is impossible, all of this," she muttered, staring at her glass as if the cider was to blame for what she was hearing. "This is all too weird."

"I assure you it's not," Regina said firmly, while all three Warehouse agents seemed to mutter '_no bad mushrooms this time_' under their breaths. Regina gentled her voice. "I know this is a lot to take in, on top of everything else you've seen and heard in the past few months."

Helena tried to catch Emma's eyes. "An old friend of mine once said 'when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth'. When you're dealing with things like artifacts or magic that's something that you need to keep in mind."

"That sounds familiar," Emma muttered. "Didn't Sherlock Holmes say that? I think I saw that in a movie once ..."

Myka nodded. "He did. The old friend Helena's talking about was Arthur Conan Doyle."

This time Emma decided she didn't care if banging her head on the table made her look childish.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews, follows and faves. I appreciate them all. :D**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own any of the characters. Too bad, really. They might have more fun ...**

* * *

Regina hesitated briefly, but then went with her gut feeling and put a comforting hand on Emma's head. She stroked through the blond curls tenderly, just like she used to at night, after one of their trysts. "Emma," she whispered. "Are you all right?"

Emma turned her head to the side and opened her eyes. Regina's face was closer than she had expected. "No ... yes ... I don't know," she replied. "I don't know what to believe any more when you tell me that you're a lot older than you look and that H.G. is a famous male author who died about a hundred years ago." She closed her eyes with a sigh. "This is one of the times where I really wish the world was simple."

"I'm sorry." Regina sounded sincere. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought in outsiders, but it looked like my only chance."

Emma shook her head. "It's okay. I would have done the same thing."

"Do you want us to stop?" Helena asked from across the table. "I think we maybe should have done this a little differently."

Emma sat up, waving off the compassion she felt coming from the Warehouse agents and Regina. "No, no, let's continue," she said firmly. "It does look like you were right though, and I need some calibrating." She seemed to gather herself. "So, Steve, can you top this?" she asked, pointing at H.G.

Steve met her eyes straight on. "Well, I was dead for a while until a friend brought me back. And when she did, the only thing keeping me alive was a metronome."

Emma's eyes widened. "You're a zombie?"

Myka and Steve laughed. "Not anymore," said Steve, "but I guess you could have called me that." And Claudia had, on more than one occasion. _After_ everything had been made right.

Emma studied his eyes. "You're not lying," she stated. "As absolutely unbelievable as it sounds, you're telling the truth."

Steve nodded. Helena and Myka smiled.

Regina turned to Myka. "We haven't heard anything about you yet, Ms. Bering," she said silkily.

"And Emma," Myka replied defensively. "Besides, there's not much to say about me."

"Or about me," Emma quickly agreed.

"I disagree," Regina said. "On both counts." She smiled at Myka. "If that were true, Helena wouldn't have spoken of you so often."

"You told her about me?" Myka turned to face Helena.

Helena nodded. "Of course, darling."

Regina smiled, a tiny evil glint in her dark eyes. "Tell me, Ms. Bering, were you jealous earlier when H.G. hugged me?"

H.G. sent her a questioning look but then she remembered that she hadn't had time to talk to Regina. _Right, she doesn't know Myka and I cleared the air._

Myka looked uncomfortable. "No, I wasn't," she finally answered.

"You're lying," Emma stated quietly and Steve nodded in agreement.

Myka raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I might have been a little jealous." She grinned. "What about you, Sheriff? Were _you_ jealous of Helena?"

Startled, Emma looked from Myka to Regina and back. "Of course not," she said quickly. _Too quickly._ "Why would I be?" _No reason, un-unh. I didn't really want to rip H.G.'s arms off and beat her with them. No, ma'am._

"Even I can tell you're lying, Sheriff," Myka said sardonically, albeit with a compassionate smile. "Even if it's probably as much to yourself as to us."

Emma groaned and let her head fall back on her folded arms. She should have never agreed to do this. She should have stayed home, had dinner with her parents, watched one of those romantic comedies her mother was still fond of even as Snow White. Or she could have spent some time with Henry and gone to bed early with a nice, boring book. Now she was sitting here with a group of apparently very weird people, being utterly mortified.

Regina looked at the Warehouse agents in turn and motioned toward the door. All three of them got up quietly and left the room.

Regina pulled Emma's hands away and gently raised the sheriff's head so she could look at her face. "Ms. Swan," she coaxed gently.

She realized with sudden clarity that she was using the same voice she had always used with nervous horses. _Seems fitting._ Emma did remind her of a skittish foal sometimes. _Most of the time, actually._ She continued in the same voice. "I'm sorry Myka asked you that question, that was not my intention when I asked _her_ but-"

"S'okay," Emma mumbled, still slightly shaking her head.

"... but I'm not sorry I know the answer now."

Emma opened her eyes. "What?"

Regina cupped Emma's face. "I thought ... even after all those times that we ... I never really thought you felt anything for me."_You always ran away as fast as you could afterwards, like you couldn't bear to be close to me if you weren't ... _fucking _me. And even if you did feel something, I was sure that it would be gone now that you know who I am._ "I'm glad to know it's not true."

Emma studied Regina's face closely. The dark eyes were open, literally and figuratively, and she had the feeling she could stare into them forever and still not get to the bottom of this woman's complexity. She knew instinctively that this was her chance to ask what she really wanted to know. She licked her suddenly dry lips. "Do you have feelings for me, Regina?" _Wait, what? That's not what I wanted to ask, is it?_

Regina didn't flinch, didn't close her eyes, didn't move away, although all of that cost her a great deal of willpower. She didn't know if she was ready to admit her feelings, ready to make herself vulnerable in front of this woman who had the power to destroy her. This woman who had already destroyed much of her life's work. Regina sighed ruefully. Who was she kidding? There wasn't much she wouldn't do for Emma, but there was some reluctance to actually letting the other woman know this fact.

"Regina?" Emma was trying hard not to push, but she never was very patient. And now that she had asked the question, she _really_ wanted to know the answer. "Do you-"

Regina traced her thumb across Emma's cheekbone and down to her lips, stopping Emma mid-sentence. She really didn't need to be reminded of the question – she doubted she would ever forget this moment. What remained to be seen was only whether it would be a happy memory or one that would drive her mad in the future. _Well, I've never been a coward and I will not start now._ "I do," she finally admitted with a small nod. "I do have feelings for you."

Emma's throat had never felt so dry. Her eyes studied Regina's face and eyes, flickering over her features in rapid succession. She couldn't detect anything but sincerity in the other woman. "Care to elaborate on that?" she asked finally, her voice raspy. _The answer took you long enough._

Regina swallowed. She should have known that Emma wasn't going to just let that stand. Asking her to put herself out there was demanding a lot, and Emma had to know that. Regina took a deep breath and was rewarded with the smell of Emma entering her system. It was better than any magic she had ever felt, and she closed her eyes in delight.

"Regina?" Emma asked anxiously, again letting her impatience show. Dark eyes opened and Emma was blown away by the vulnerability in them.

"Do you really need me to spell it out for you?" Regina hoped that she didn't sound quite as unsure as she felt.

Emma nodded. "Even if it's just this once," she whispered, so close to Regina's face that their breath mingled. "Please?"

That did it. Regina took another second to steel herself before she uttered the words she had sworn she would never again say to anyone but her son. "I love you." She couldn't stop the small smile that turned the corners of her mouth upward. "I'm in love with you."

It was the truth, Emma knew straight away, and not just from the unguarded look on Regina's face. It was the memories of all those nights being held in Regina's arms, hearing her name on Regina's lips, in ecstasy, in surrender, in supplication. The whispered words brushing past her head, in rhythm with the hands stroking her back or running through her hair before, invariably, Emma scrambled out of bed to run away from the intimacy. All of that made Emma 100 percent sure that Regina was telling the truth.

Before she could think about what she was doing, Emma tangled her hands in dark hair and pulled Regina the final inch forward until their lips crashed together in a searing kiss. There was no finesse, just feelings, raw and confused and glorious and dangerous. There were twin groans and hands that flexed and tangled in locks of hair.

When they pulled back out of necessity, their eyes found each other instantly. Regina's eyes were dark and shiny, brimming with feeling. "There's the fire I missed," Emma murmured.

Regina couldn't keep her hands still. Her fingers moved over Emma's face, tracing the brow, the jaw, the cheekbones, and her lips. She cleared her throat, afraid she wouldn't be able to speak otherwise. Still, her voice was hoarse when she spoke. "What does this ... does that mean ...?" She couldn't finish the question, afraid of the answer. If she didn't ask, she couldn't be rejected, right?

Emma brushed her nose against Regina's temple. "I have feelings for you, too," she said quietly, her breath caressing Regina's ear, making her shiver. "Huge, complex, difficult, pretty damn confusing feelings," she added. "I know I should hate you, but I can't. I shouldn't be here, but I couldn't stay away. I should be arresting you, instead I'm here playing games with you and your friends. You hurt me and my family, and I'm pretty sure you killed Graham ... you hurt so many people, Regina, yet here I am."

"I'm sorry your feelings for me are confusing for you," Regina replied hoarsely.

Her voice didn't sound the least bit snarky, much to Emma's surprise. She would have to get used to this version of the mayor ... _ex-mayor_, she reminded herself. "I believe you," she said. "But there's nothing we can do about that." She shrugged. "I can't turn off my feelings, no matter how much I might want to." She met Regina's eyes. "And I don't think I want to."

"Emma?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you established enough trust in Mr. Jinks' abilities to ask me again about Archie? Even if you still somewhat distrust your own?" Regina hesitated a little over the last bit.

"I think my feelings for you _are_ what's confusing my lie detector," Emma admitted, her thumb following the line of Regina's nose, stopping on the scar on her lip. "I want to believe you because I love you, but at the same time I'm looking extra hard for lies because of who you area, you know? It's bugging the hell out of me."

Regina stared at Emma, a lone tear slowly making its way down her face. "What did I do?" Emma asked, wiping away the tear with the pad of her thumb. _What the hell?_ "Regina, what's going on?"

Regina took a shaky breath. "You love me?" Her voice almost broke. "You just said ... You _love_ me?"

Emma blushed. "I guess I did." She gave a half-shrug. "It's true."

"Kiss me again."

Emma just nodded.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you again for your reviews. You rock. :) **

**Disclaimer: To everybody's eternal surprise, I don't own OUaT or WH13.**

* * *

_"Kiss me again."_

_Emma just nodded. _

This kiss was different from the one before, different from all their previous kisses. It was slow and gentle, but undeniably passionate at the same time. Their mouths moved in sync and when Emma's nip pulled a grown from Regina, their tongues met and tangled together, playing tag. Regina could feel her magic rising to the surface with astounding ferocity, brought forth by what it recognized in Emma. She felt sparks skittering up and down her body and she didn't need to open her eyes to know that they would manifest as purple smoke to anyone who'd witness this from the outside.

Emma felt the magic as well, could feel it like a shockwave through her body. She felt connected to Regina in a whole new way, bound together by something far beyond her understanding. She didn't feel threatened, however, just oddly calm and content in her desire. All she knew, deep down inside with a certainty that defied logic or reason, that from this moment forward, she would never be able to walk away from Regina.

"Tell me you felt that, too," Emma whispered between breaths once they parted for air.

Regina simply nodded and linked her hands with Emma's, raising them between them so Emma could see the magic they made together. Their hands were surrounded by a blueish glow, not the purple Regina had expected to see. "Interesting," she murmured.

"Whoa," Emma exclaimed. "Is that ... magic?"

"Hmm." Regina couldn't stop staring at their clasped hands. "It would seem that you and I make magic happen." She withdrew her hand from Emma's and they both watched as the blue tendrils stretched between their hands, turned lighter, and then evaporated.

Emma watched with an unreadable expression on her face, which had Regina slightly worried. "Please don't ... freak out," she pleaded with Emma.

That finally brought Emma's eyes back to Regina's. "I won't, I promise," she reassured the other woman. "I might have ... you know, before we opened the portal together, but now ... now I was just wondering what's going to happen when ..." She blushed, an adorable grin on her face.

Regina raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I have no idea. More of that, perhaps." She pressed her lips against Emma's for a moment. "I hope we'll get the chance to find out."

"Why wouldn't we?" Emma asked. "It's up to us, isn't it?"

Regina sighed. "It should be," she agreed, her voice brittle. "But there are so many things to consider ..."

"Like what?" Emma's voice was defiant.

"Like our son," Regina said quietly. "Your parents, the fact that you believe I killed Archie, even though I didn't." She paused. "And if our relationship became public, you could lose a lot of respect ... I'm not exactly popular." She looked at Emma. "So you see, there are many things that stand in our way, not the least of which is that I'm the Evil Queen and you're the Savior."

"Maybe that just means that I'm your Savior, too." Emma suddenly stood. "Come with me." She pulled Regina from her chair and dragged her bodily into the foyer and, when she found that empty, on into the kitchen, where the Warehouse agents were standing around the counter talking quietly amongst themselves.

"Steve," Emma interrupted their conversation. "I need you to help me believe."

Steve shrugged. "Okay." Helena and Myka shared a small smile.

Emma faced Regina, keeping one hand wrapped around a slim wrist. She could feel Regina's pulse fluttering wildly. "Regina, do you love Henry?"

Regina bristled and tried to pull her hand away, but Emma just tightened her grip. "What kind of question is that? You know-"

"Yes, I do," Emma agreed calmly. "Can you just trust me? Please?"

Regina knew she was doomed when she realized she was unable to resist Emma's softly spoken plea. For one scary second she wondered if Emma had somehow acquired Gold's power over her. _That would be devastating._ "Okay," she finally said. "Yes, I love Henry. Very much."

"Truth," Emma said.

"Truth," Steve agreed.

"Did you curse everyone in the Enchanted Forest?"

"Yes. At least I thought I did."

"Truth."

"Truth," Steve agreed with a slightly confused smile.

"How did you meet my mother?"

"I saved her life."

"Tr-_What_?" Emma blurted. "Seems true, but what ...?" She shook her head. "I will definitely need to hear the whole story soon." She looked at Steve who just nodded. He noticed that Emma was becoming more and more confident in her ability and decided to take a step back.

"Do you love me?"

Regina felt uncomfortable and vulnerable. Having people watching what should be a very private moment was not her idea of a good time, even if those people were friends. Her eyes flickered to Helena's for a moment and she took heart from the encouragement she saw in them. Her eyes softened as she turned back to Emma. "You know I do."

"Yes, I do." Emma smiled tenderly.

Helena and Myka shared a smile, their hands joining between them. Seems their help wasn't needed after all.

"Tell me a lie, Regina."

"Excuse me?"

"Lie to me." _Never thought I'd say that ..._

Regina bit her lower lip in thought and Emma's insides coiled like a tightly-wound spring. "I really miss your red leather jacket."

Emma paused, studying the dark eyes in front of her. "That's not a lie," she said slowly, a little unsure after all the times Regina had insulted her favorite jacket. She looked at Steve for confirmation. "Truth," he confirmed.

"But I asked you to lie." Emma sounded bewildered.

"And I thought I'd test your lie detector with something unexpected," Regina admitted. "It seems to work just fine now."

Emma understood the barely veiled hint to get on with it. "Did you kill Archie?"

"No."

There was no trace of deceit in Regina's features, who met Emma's eyes with her own unflinchingly.

"Oh my God, you're telling the truth," Emma finally said, sounding relieved. She smiled widely. "I actually believe you."

"You should," Steve said. "Like I already told you a couple of hours ago, she's not lying about that."

Emma shot him a dirty look, which he ignored with a grin and a half-shrug.

Regina's shoulders sagged in relief. _Finally. But that still left the question ..._

"But ... then who killed Archie?" Emma asked. "And why did Pongo see you doing it?"

Regina looked up sharply, dropping Emma's hand as if it was poisonous. "Pongo?" she growled dangerously, eyes blazing. "Pongo is your eyewitness? You believed Pongo over me?"

"Who is Pongo?" Myka asked.

"Archie's dog," Emma explained with a grimace.

"Are you serious?" Helena's voice was acerbic. She sounded extremely unimpressed with Emma. "Do we want to know how you got an eyewitness statement from a dog?"

"Magic," Emma and Regina replied as one, not looking at each other.

"Well, if Pongo thought he really saw me," Regina continued in the ensuing silence, "then we have a much bigger problem."

"Why?" Emma asked. "Do you know who did it?"

"Someone used a glamour spell to look like me," Regina explained. "That is a fairly complex spell and few can pull it off well enough to actually fool people for more than a few moments. Then again, we're only talking about fooling a dog here."

Myka hid her grin behind a swiftly raised hand. It were these bouts of dry sarcasm that made it clear to her why Regina and Helena got along so well.

"Okay, so who can do it?" Emma decided to ignore Regina comment about Pongo.

"I can, obviously," Regina admitted with a smirk. "Gold, probably. I doubt he'd have anything to gain from Archie's demise, however." She thought for a moment. "My old friend Maleficent, but she's not around any longer." She smiled at Emma. "You killed her, after all."

"I did?" Emma was confused. _Again._ "When did that happen?"

"Remember the dragon in the library, dear?"

Emma winced. Not one of her favorite memories. In fact, she wouldn't mind forgetting that whole day. In her mind, it was down to sheer, dumb luck that all of them – she, Henry, and Regina – were still here and alive.

Myka shook her head, deciding not to ask about dragons in libraries. That was not something she'd ever want around books, but she figured things were a little different in a town filled with magic and fairytale characters. Maybe she'd ask H.G. about that story later.

"Who else then?" Emma wondered aloud. Then her head shot up, the answer suddenly obvious. "Your mother!" she exclaimed. "Of course! I saw her do it when we were ... over there. But she couldn't have followed us through the portal. It's not possible."

"Didn't we talk about your attitude to impossible things just a short while ago?"

Emma bristled at Helena's tone, which to her sounded slightly exasperated and just a little too condescending. It didn't matter that she was right.

"Believe me, Emma," Regina said firmly. "If my mother wanted to find a way to come here, she'd find one. And it appears she might have."

"But we haven't heard anything about it," Emma protested. "Nobody's seen her!" The look Regina gave her clearly said _Really, dear?_ louder than any words could. "Okay, okay, point taken. If she doesn't want to be seen, she won't be seen."

"Exactly."

"So what do we do?"

When Regina didn't reply, Myka cleared her throat. "I really don't want to interrupt, but I think we need someone to explain why Regina's mother is so bad. At least Steve and I do ..." She looked at Regina and Emma in turn, studying their body language. Regina was visibly rattled, she could tell as much, and she was afraid the other woman would either shut down or explode. Emma was hovering next to Regina, one hand on her arm, one in the small of her back.

Helena moved a step closer to Regina. "Listen, Regina," she said soothingly. "We don't know for sure that Cora is here, okay?" She gently tilted Regina's face up. "Even if she's here and was involved with Archie's death, so far she hasn't sought you out, and she doesn't know we know she's here. We have time to come up with a plan."

Regina shook her head almost violently. "I can't take the risk," she croaked. "If she finds out about Henry, she's going to go after him." She looked at Emma. "And you ... she's going to kill you if she finds out that-"

Emma wrapped her in a tight embrace. "_Nothing_ is going to happen to me or to Henry," she said, her voice fierce and determined. "We won't let her hurt us, you hear me? But I guess you should know that she-"

Regina didn't let her finish as she tore herself from Emma's arms, taking two rapid steps back. "You have no idea what she's capable of, Ms. Swan!" She looked around wildly. "You have to go and get Henry and then you have to leave town with him." She turned to Helena. "You need to leave, too," she pleaded. "I'm sorry for making you all come here. If I'd known she was here, I would never have called you."

"Regina!" Emma and Helena shouted simultaneously. "Nobody's leaving," Emma continued. "At least I'm not." She looked at Helena.

Helena, Myka, and Steve all nodded.

"Listen," Steve said. "It's late, emotions are running high, and I doubt your mother is going to do anything tonight."

"Steven's right," H.G. agreed. "If she killed Archie to frame you – and that is the only reason why she'd do it – then she won't do anything until she can see the effects of her actions."

"What do you think she wants to achieve by framing you for this murder?" Myka asked. "I mean, she must have a reason, right?"

Regina ignored her, too busy staring at Emma and thinking of Henry. All she could think was, _she's going to go after the people I love. Again._ Then Emma was by her side, her arms wrapped around her, and despite her fear for the sheriff, she felt a sense of calm settle over her. _Interesting_, she thought, not for the first time that day. The way her body reacted to Emma's touch, she had a feeling there was more than magic binding her and Emma, but she couldn't afford to examine those feelings right now.

Helena nodded at Emma, satisfied at the sheriff's reaction. She was _this_ close to just pushing the sheriff closer to Regina. Then she turned to Myka. "I think she wants to see Regina broken, desperate, left by everyone-"

"And then she's going to swoop in and offer herself as the loving mother, the only one who's there for Regina," Emma finished for her. "Cora is a crazy bitch, but if we play it right we might be able to use her inflated ego against her."

"How?" Regina's voice was a whisper.

Emma shook her head. "I don't know yet," she admitted. "But I'm pretty sure the five of us can come up with something." She paused. "And hopefully I can convince Snow and David that they're after the wrong woman." _For a change._ But she thought it was better not to say that part out loud.

As if on cue there was a loud banging on the front door. Emma groaned and Regina rolled her eyes after checking the clock on the wall. "Hmm, I wonder who that might be at this time of night," she commented dryly, before she straightened her blazer and left to open the door.

"Regina, wait!" Emma hissed loudly and ran after her. "Don't!"

A second later, the other three followed.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This story is turning out to be much longer than anticipated. What started out as a two-shot in my mind, now is in its 8th chapter, with no end in sight. Actually, I know where it's going to end and how ... I just don't know which winding paths the characters will lead me down along the way.**

**A/N 2: Your reviews, faves and follows are very much appreciated. You're the best. :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I only own my mistakes.**

* * *

"Regina, wait," Emma whispered again. "Please don't open the door!"

Regina stopped and turned around. "You know it's probably your parents out there, right?" she hissed back.

Emma pressed herself up against Regina, ignoring the Warehouse agents behind them and pushing her further away from the door. "I know," she said as quietly as possible. "Which is why I don't want you to open the door. I don't want them to know I'm here." She groaned, feeling like a teenager who had snuck out while being grounded. "We're going to need to come up with a plan first, and they're just going to drag me back with them." She knew she was whining, but she didn't care.

Myka winced in sympathy, remembering how she had felt around her father when she was young, but then she reminded herself that Emma was a grown woman. Helena seemed to think along similar lines. "How old are you again?" she asked in a hushed whisper, eyebrow arched.

"Stop judging me," Emma hissed back. "You have no idea ..."

Regina met Helena's eyes as she wrapped arm around Emma, trying to calm her down. "Leave her be, H.G.," she pleaded. "It's a difficult situation and it's my fault."

"No, it's not," Emma protested. "Nobody forced them to shove me into a tree and send me off to fulfill some fucking prophecy. Sometimes I feel like Harry Potter ... only born and raised to be sacrificed in a big fight against evil."

"I read those books recently, too," Helena commented.

"Watched the movies," Emma muttered.

Regina tightened her hold on Emma. "I'm sorry." The touch seemed to calm Emma. "You're _not_ going to get sacrificed for anything. Harry Potter survived, you know ... and there will be no fight to the death between the Evil Queen and the White Knight," she finished dramatically, sounding so much like Henry in that moment that Emma couldn't help but smile.

There was more banging. "Open the door, witch!" David's booming voice removed any doubt as to who was demanding entrance.

"Emma?" Snow's voice was no less loud, shrill and bordering on panic. "Emma, are you in there? Are you alright?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Do they think I turned you into a toad or something equally ridiculous? Or maybe locked you away in my dungeon downstairs?"

"You have a dungeon?"

"No, I have a wine cellar."

"Oh." Emma smiled wearily. "I told Snow that you wouldn't hurt me, but she obviously didn't believe me." She pressed a kiss to Regina's lips, then winced at the continued banging. "Or trust me," she added with an annoyed sigh.

"Regina! Open the door this instance!" David yelled again. "I command you!"

H.G. leaned close to Myka. "Yes, _that's_ going to impress the Evil Queen," she commented dryly and was validated when Regina sent a baleful look toward the door and snorted derisively.

Emma winced. "Okay, maybe you should open the door before they kick it in," she relented. "I'll just stay out of sight, okay?" She switched off the overhead light, switching on the bright porch light instead, and walked quietly to stand where she would be hidden in the shadows behind the open door. Helena and Myka unconsciously moved into a protective position a couple of steps behind Regina while Steve joined Emma in the shadows for silent support.

Regina opened the door, a completely insincere smile on her face, and instantly took a step back to avoid David's fist from hitting her instead of the door. She cleared her throat, cocking her eyebrow for effect. "David, Snow," she said flatly, nodding at them in turn. "To what do I owe the _pleasure_ of your very late visit?"

"Where is Emma?" Snow asked immediately, taking a step into Regina's personal space. "Where's my daughter, Regina?"

Regina stood her ground. "I would assume Ms. Swan is with my son since you are both here," she said evenly, "and I sincerely hope that you wouldn't show the complete lack of responsibility of leaving a ten-year-old home alone at this time of night."

David glared at her while Snow met her eyes defiantly. "Red is with him," she replied. "Now, where is Emma?"

Regina glared right back at them. "Oh, I feel so much better now that I know that my son is in the company of a werewolf," she ground out with a sneer. Myka and Steve sent each other an alarmed look. _Werewolf? What else had they missed?_

Emma knew that Henry was safe with Red, but she still didn't like the fact that Snow and David had deemed it more important to look for her than to stay home with him. She was a grown woman, dammit. _Yeah, a grown woman who hides from her parents behind her girlfriend's door ..._ _Coward._

Emma wished she could touch Regina to keep her calm. As if reading her thoughts Regina leaned her body against the open door, hugging the wood. Instantly, Emma moved closer and placed her hand in the small of Regina's back. She could feel the other woman relax a little as she moved her fingers in tiny circles.

"You know Red would never harm Henry!" Snow was obviously shocked.

"Unlike you," David growled. "But he's with his family now, so we don't need to worry so much about him any more."

Regina actually rocked back into Emma's hand, feeling the words just like physical blows. "Henry is _my_ son, _I_ am his family." Her voice was broken, but dignified. "He belongs with me."

"You're nothing," David replied coldly. "Emma is his mother, not you. We are his family, not you." He raised his fist and pointed at her. "You were more like the nanny from hell and you need to leave my grandson alone."

Emma stumbled a step backwards at hearing the venom in her father's voice. _This is not right. Do something._ Her mind kept urging her to step forward and intervene, and judging from the murderous look she received from Helena, her mind wasn't the only one. But her feet just wouldn't move forward, even as her hand clench into the fabric at Regina's back in frustration.

"And my daughter," Snow added. "You hurt her enough."

Regina visibly gathered herself, but it was clear to Helena and Emma that this was hitting her hard. Even Myka and Steve sent menacing looks toward the doorway.

_That was enough,_ Emma thought. _Enough! _She was just about to step out from behind the door to confront her parents when Helena and Myka stepped forward, making their presence known to Snow and David.

"Is there a problem here?" Myka asked as nicely as she could when faced with two people whose demeanor she disliked intensely. _No wonder Emma doesn't want them to know she's here. They _hate_ Regina._

"Who are you?" David asked bluntly.

"Friends of Regina's," Helena replied silkily as she moved closer to Myka and into the light that came from the porch. "And since you're interrupting a private party at a rather ungodly hour for a mere social call, would you care to enlighten us as to the purpose of your visit?"

Emma bit back a grin and relaxed a little. She was beginning to see why Regina liked Helena as much as she did. Standing up to her parents in her Victorian lady voice made Emma love her, too.

"I remember you," Snow said slowly as if pulling information from the dark recesses of her brain. "You've been to Storybrooke before."

"Yes, she has," Regina answered for Helena, having gathered herself. "And I do enjoy the company of my friends, so if there's nothing else, would you mind leaving us to more pleasurable pursuits?"

"We're not leaving without Emma," Snow stated adamantly. "I know she's here."

"I bet she came to confront you about Archie's murder," David continued. "You should be locked up, not at home with your _friends_." He straightened. "I'm going to take you to the sheriff's office and you'll rot in that cell until you tell what you did to Emma."

Myka cleared her throat and slightly moved her jacket so her gun was visible. "Excuse me, but on whose authority are you planning to arrest Ms. Mills?"

"Mine," both he and Snow replied.

"What did you do to Emma, Regina?" Snow asked again. "Tell us now or I swear I'll drag you to a dungeon myself."

Emma finally couldn't listen any longer. She tapped Helena on the shoulder, who took a step back to make room, and moved to stand between Regina and Myka. Regina opened the door wider with a resigned look on her face.

"You will do no such thing," Emma said to her shocked parents. "What you will do is go home to Henry. I can't believe you left our son alone. This whole thing is so totally uncalled for. You're so far out of line that it's not even visible any more." She shook her head as she turned to Regina. "We'll talk to Henry tomorrow," she whispered. "I think he should move back home."

"He is home," David protested. "_Your_ home, where he belongs. With his family!"

"Regina is his mother, too. She is his family and has been for over ten years," Emma replied a lot more calmly than she felt. Before she could question her unnatural state of calm, she felt Regina's hand on her back, unseen by her parents. _I need to ask Regina about that._

Snow looked confused. "That's not what you said earlier."

"I was wrong." She gave Regina an apologetic look. "Look, Snow, we've been really wrong about a lot of things. Regina didn't kill Archie, and I should have trusted my gut feeling."

"But we saw-"

"I know what we saw, but that wasn't Regina." Emma hesitated. "We think Cora might be in town."

"But that's impossible!" Snow shook her head. "She couldn't be."

"We jumped through a hat and climbed up a beanstalk," Emma said simply. "That sounds pretty damn impossible to me, and yet it happened."

"Well, that was magic," Snow countered.

Regina's look told everyone exactly what she thought of Snow's comment.

"Really, Snow? You've seen what Cora can do." Emma said, echoing Regina's thoughts. "Trust me, please. Regina didn't kill Archie and the only other option that makes any sense is Cora."

Snow looked deep in thought for a moment and Regina had to bite back a snarky comment with all of her might. "How can you be sure that Regina isn't just manipulating you?" she finally asked.

Emma grinned, first at Regina, then at Myka and finally at her parents. "Let's just say she took a very convincing lie detector test. She didn't do it."

Snow and David didn't look convinced, so Myka decided to step up once more. "I can assure you there's no reason to worry, at least not about Regina." She pulled out her badge but didn't show it yet. "Just go home, and tomorrow we'll all get together and talk about the situation. Okay?"

David looked at her from top to bottom. "Who _are_ you?" he demanded again.

Myka showed her badge. "Agents Bering, Wells, and Jinks. Secret Service."

Emma smiled at the taller woman before turning to her father. "Which by the way means that in this world their authority trumps yours by about a gazillion times. Regina stays where she is."

David still looked slightly belligerent, but Snow seemed to concede the point. She couldn't very well claim that as queen she was the utmost authority, especially not to obvious outsiders. She sighed. "All right, Regina can stay here overnight, but we'll be back tomorrow. I'm still not convinced she didn't kill Archie."

David didn't budge. "She shouldn't be allowed to roam free."

Regina was very close to just blasting his ignorant ass off her front porch, but she kept a level of calm thanks to her constant contact with Emma. She faced David with a grimace she hoped looked somewhat like a smile. "As you can see I'm not roaming anywhere." Her free hand pointed toward Myka and Helena. "I'm in my own home with three federal agents and a sheriff. You can rest your little shepherd head easy tonight ... I'm not going anywhere."

"You might not, but Emma certainly is." David wrapped his hand around Emma's arm and started pulling her outside. "Come on, we're going home."

"Stop it!" Emma wrenched her arm free and stepped back to stand next to Regina once more. "I'm staying. You need to learn how to listen."

"Emma, no!" Snow's eyes widened, although Regina couldn't recognize if it was in shock or recognition of something between her and Emma. "You can't ... What about ... what about Henry?"

"You just said Henry was asleep and that Red was with him," Emma replied easily. "Was that a lie?" She glared at Snow who shook her head. "I'll ... we'll see him tomorrow." She looked at Regina with a small smile. "And then we'll talk."

Helena decided she'd had enough. "Look, it's quite late," she addressed Snow and David. "The elderly among us have to get all the beauty sleep they can get." She ignored Regina's chuckle and Myka's wide grin, and focused on Snow's confused face. "Go home, get some rest, and we'll come see you in the morning."

Myka jumped in. "Unfortunately, we have to insist on the sheriff staying here." She sounded official, all sincerity couple with apologetic looks. "There are some issues we need to address with local law enforcement."

"I guarantee that nothing is going to happen to Sheriff Swan here tonight," Regina added quickly. _At least nothing she doesn't want to happen._

Snow let her gaze wander over Emma and Regina. Emma knew her mother registered the total lack of personal space, but she also saw the look in Snow's eyes that said she was going to refuse to think about it, let alone accept it any time soon.

After a minute, Snow nodded and turned to go, pulling David behind her. After three steps she turned around. "This isn't over, Regina," she declared. "We'll continue this in the morning." Emma wasn't sure if she meant Archie's murder or the fact that her daughter had chosen to stay with their arch-enemy. There was an uncomfortable conversation in hers and Snow's near future, Emma knew, mainly because she had no idea how on earth she was supposed to keep her feelings for Regina hidden. Not now that they had been pulled to the surface and she knew them to be reciprocated.

David walked back to the door, closing in on Regina. "If anything happens to Emma, I'm going to rip you into so many tiny pieces that nobody's ever going to find them all." He scowled and gripped his sword menacingly.

Regina smirked and closed the door in his face.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This chapter is a little longer than the others, mostly because I'm not 100% sure I can update as often as I've done so far. One of my cats is seriously sick, so my head is a little busy with other stuff. I'm still writing though, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Updates might just be once a week or every 10 days or so instead of twice a week. I apologize in advance, just in case.**  
**Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Yes, it's sad. No, please don't sue, I literally don't own a thing.**

* * *

"Well, that went about as well as I thought it might," Emma sighed to nobody in particular while Regina leaned back against the door in relief.

"It could have been worse." With a small sigh Regina walked over to Emma and rubbed her arm in comfort, then withdrew her hand quickly. "The two idiots could have actually tried to drag me to a cell."

Steve snorted. "Yeah, right." The others shot him a look. "What?! I figured that was never going to happen."

"You're absolutely right, Mr. Jinks," Regina agreed with an evil little smile that didn't reach her eyes. "But I would have hated to have to prove that fact to them in front of their daughter." _Otherwise I probably would have really enjoyed it, I think._

Emma just looked uncomfortable. "It's not like I would have let them take you," she mumbled. "You're innocent."

For a moment, Regina wasn't sure whether to envy Emma for her naïveté or to despair at it. "I'm not sure that actually matters, Ms. Swan." She squeezed her shoulder. "As much as I appreciate the thought."

"Why wouldn't it matter?" Myka asked, genuinely curious. The thought hadn't occurred to her.

"The world we come from is vastly different from this one, Ms. Bering," Regina explained. "More ... medieval, if you will, with a very black and white point of view. People are either good or evil, no matter their deeds. And in that world I'm the Evil Queen and no matter what I did or didn't do in the past or will and won't do in the future, that will never change. I could spend the rest of my life saving kittens and healing the sick and the only thing _that_ would mean is that I must have some evil agenda."

"But if people like Emma's parents just locked you away ... that wouldn't make them any better than you, would it?" Steve sounded just as bewildered as Myka.

Helena snorted. "That's the beauty of seeing the world in black and white, Steve. _Good_ people can do no wrong." She shook her head sadly. "David could cut off Regina's head tomorrow with that fancy sword of his, with Snow standing by, cackling evilly while snacking on one of the kittens that Regina saved, and the people of Storybrooke would still deem them good, and their actions just because they did it to vanquish evil." She almost spat out the last bit, her disgust visible to all.

"And unfortunately," Regina added sardonically, "given that I have magic, execution is a far more likely fate for me. I _am_ relatively difficult to keep locked up." She looked at Emma. "Although I think the general plan was to have Emma kill me in some heroic battle to break the curse. We're lucky it didn't have to come to that."

Emma looked nauseous at the thought. "I wouldn't have ... I couldn't ..."

"That sucks," Steve muttered. "Quoting Claudia here," he added to Myka and Helena.

"Whoever this Claudia is, she's right." Regina nodded. "What's really sad is that Henry is so immersed in this fairytale that he probably wouldn't even think bad of Snow and David if they decided to execute me, and he really would cheer Emma on in a fight against me. It's his dream come true." Her voice cracked. "They're good, after all, and I'm ..." Her voice trailed off.

"You're his mother and he loves you," Emma insisted forcefully. "He does! Remember that he asked me to protect you?" Emma's squeezed Regina's hand in comfort, but the former mayor looked like she was ready to crawl out of her skin. Myka felt for her.

"Regina's right," Helena agreed. "I know that he hasn't shown his love for you in a long time, but I don't think it's gone."

"It's very hard to stop loving your parents," Myka added, a knowing expression on her face. "No matter what they might have done."

"I hope you're right," Regina whispered. She took a step away from Emma and turned to stare at the wall. Helena watched her in concern, easily spotting the rising tension in her friend. They were remarkably similar in that regard; there always came a point when they'd build up a veritable fortress around themselves. She needed to stop Regina from doing that tonight, not just for her own sake, but also for Emma's and possibly all of Storybrooke's. Nobody would benefit from Regina being in an emotionally stunted Evil Queen mode.

Before she could do anything about it, however, Steve broke the silence that had settled over the group. "Listen, ladies," he said with an exaggerated yawn. "It's been a long day for all of us and there's nothing we can do tonight. I think we should call it a night." He looked at Myka and Helena. "If I don't at least check if Claudia is online to chat, I'll never hear the end of it. Bathroom's yours in five minutes, okay?" He vanished up the stairs.

Myka sent a grateful smile after him. "He's right, we should all head to bed." She held out her hand for Helena. "You coming?"

Helena pressed a kiss to Myka's cheek. "Give me a minute, darling." She subtly motioned toward Regina and Emma who were busy looking uncomfortable around each other. _I need to see if things are okay_, was the message she didn't need to spell out for Myka.

Myka nodded. "Good night, Regina, Emma," she said, making both women look at her. "See you in the morning. I've been told the pancakes are to die for." She winked at Regina and followed Steve up the stairs.

"Pancakes, huh?" Emma asked quietly.

"Hmm." It was clear that Regina wasn't listening. She was looking anywhere but in Emma's direction, and the sheriff was beginning to feel a little frustrated and a lot confused.

_What the fuck did I do now?_ Emma tried to catch Regina's eyes, but the older woman evaded her. _Why do I always fell like I have no idea what's going on in that woman's head?_ She looked at Helena, wondering if she had an idea, her hand opening in an almost helpless gesture.

H.G. found it hard to see Emma so confused ... it reminded her of Myka's hurt looks when H.G. had been trapped in the sphere. But when she caught the furtive look Regina gave Emma when she wasn't looking, she had a fair idea of what was going on behind her friend's dark eyes. _Like you wouldn't react exactly the same way ... _

Regina's mind was running at full speed. _Should I just assume she's going to stay in my room with me? Are we ... No, no, don't assume. Just because she said she loves you doesn't mean she wants to share your bed for the night. She never stayed a whole night ... she might have a general problem with sleeping next to other people. But I can't just tell her to sleep on the sofa ... it's not comfortable enough to sleep on ... and I really want her next to me ... _

Helena and Emma watched Regina work something out in her head. Her hands were clenching and unclenching rhythmically, and Helena could almost hear Regina's internal monologue. _Clenching ... will I? Unclenching ... of course I can't! Oh, Regina, just look at Emma to see that it's not even a question. _

Emma swallowed, getting more confused by the minute. _What if she didn't want me to stay? And now she doesn't know how to tell me to go. No, Regina's never had a problem telling me to go ... then again, I always ran, so she never had to. Damn, I want to stay ... I want to hold her tonight. _She thought about Cora and what was quite possibly awaiting them in the very near future. _Who knows when we'll get the chance again._ The thought of touching Regina all night, of being able to fall asleep next to her, to wake up next to her, sent a jolt through her body, and her brain went directly to images that involved the two of them doing so much more than just sleeping. _God, I want her._ Emma let out a barely audible moan, nevertheless bringing a knowing smirk to Helena's face.

The Warehouse agentmotioned for Emma to give her and Regina some space. _Let me talk to her_, she mouthed. When Emma walked past her, she stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Stop worrying," she whispered, feeling Emma nod as she continued out of the room.

Emma hardly noticed that the feeling of irritability increased with every step she took out of the room. Regina did notice, however, and she looked up when she actually felt the increasing distance deep inside her body. _Oh, that is not good._

/|||\\\

"Hey," Helena stepped into Regina's line of sight. "Are you all right? What's going on?"

Regina shook her head. "Too many things." _I'm not even sure I can put it into words._

"Would one of the things be Emma and what to do about tonight's sleeping arrangements?"

Regina looked up sharply. "How do you ...?" She sighed. "Of course ... You know me quite well, H.G."

"Only because I'm one of the _evil people_, too, my friend," Helena said quietly. "And I'm full of self-doubt in regards to Myka as well. It wasn't too much of a leap to assume you might have some worries as well."

"Unfortunately, you're right." Regina started to pace back and forth. "Helena, what if she doesn't really want to be here? She's so used to running ... I can't make her stay, even if I want her close."

Helena grabbed Regina's shoulders and shook her gently. "Stop it, Regina!" she admonished the other woman. "Anyone with eyes can see that Emma wants to be here with you. She didn't just stay because she wanted to avoid her parents." She looked in the direction of the kitchen where Emma had disappeared to. "She's probably just as scared and confused as you are, but so far she hasn't bolted."

"She should be running away," Regina muttered.

"She loves you, she won't run," Helena countered before she registered the look on Regina's face. "Why do you say that? Is something else going on?"

"I'm not sure," Regina admitted. "Ever since we kissed earlier ..."

When she didn't continue, Helena prodded gently. "You told her you love her, didn't you?"

Regina nodded. "And she told me she loved me, too, which ... it still is so unbelievable to me ... why would she? I ruined her life!"

"Regina, focus," H.G. interrupted the impending rant. "What happened when you kissed?"

"Magic happened."

"And from the sound of awe in your voice I am extrapolating that it wasn't just the kind of magic her kisses normally inspire."

Regina shook her head. "Actual magic," she said, "and not just mine."

"Emma has magic?"

"Yes, and when we kissed our magic ... I don't know ... my magic was drawn to her magic or vice versa." Regina swallowed. "And our magic ... intertwined."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure ... I've never seen anything like it. My magic, when it's visible, is a nice deep shade of purple." She snapped her fingers and a small cloud of purple smoke appeared, but to Regina's surprise the color was still faded and interspersed with blue. _So Emma's magic lingers on even when she's not touching me._ "And during the kiss, something like _that_ happened." She pointed to where the cloud was quickly dispersing. "Only even stronger. The magic we made was blue, and I presume that Emma's lighter magic is somehow mixing with mine."

Helena was still staring at the spot where the blue-purple cloud had just evaporated. "Impressive," she mumbled. "I've never seen anyone do actual magic before."

Regina smiled at the awe in Helena's voice, but that quickly turned into a pained grimace. "Don't mention it, please? I promised Henry ..."

"Don't worry," Helena reassured her. "Besides, that was hardly magic ... that was just a pretty color display." She winked. "Are you ready to go get your White Knight and go to bed now?"

Regina hesitated. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you think it's normal to feel another person's presence or distance? I mean physically?"

"Is that happening to you?" Helena asked. "Is that part of what has you so out of sorts? Can you feel Emma?"

"I swear I could feel Emma leaving the room just now," Regina said. "And when we were talking to Snow and David, her touch calmed me, and I don't mean just in the oh-it's-nice-to-know-you're-there way."

"Hmm, curious." Helena thought back to their confrontation with Snow. "I think it works both ways. When Emma was angry at her parents, she calmed immediately when you touched her."

Regina stared at her hands as if their magic was still visible there. "I'm not sure what it means."

Helena remained quiet about her immediate conjecture. _Regina needs to figure this out for herself._ "Can you tell what Emma is feeling right now?"

Regina tried to focus on the feeling inside her. "Agitated, I think," she replied after a minute. "But that could just as well be me."

"So you're agitated when you're apart and calm when you're close to each other," Helena muttered. "I wonder if Emma feels it, too." She looked toward the kitchen. "Maybe you should ask her?"

"And scare her away?" Regina scoffed. "I can already count myself lucky that she didn't run from the magic earlier."

"But what if she feels it too and has no way to tell where the confusion you're probably sending her right now comes from? Wouldn't that scare her more?"

"You and your damn logic," Regina growled. "Why do you always have to make so much sense?"

Helena laughed. "It's a gift ... and a curse." She sobered quickly, not sure if she should really go where her next question was leading her. "Regina, you're from an actual fairytale ... and so is Emma ..."

"Yes?"

_Seems like Regina needs a little push._ "Is it possible that this feeling between you two is ..." H.G. hesitated, knowing it was a sore subject.

Regina swallowed. "Is it possible that this is some kind of result of _true love_?" She wrapped her arms around herself. _It couldn't be ... but it certainly would explain some things. _"I don't know," she finally sighed. "I always thought that Daniel was my true love, but the feelings I have for Emma are different. More mature, deeper somehow and that scares me to death."

"Well, you are a different person now." Helena looked toward the kitchen. She wanted to make sure that they were really alone this time. It was Regina's place to tell Emma ... if she wanted to, that is. "Why are you so scared?"

"The same reason you are terrified of your feelings for Myka, my friend," Regina stated shrewdly. "I cursed the Enchanted Forest to avenge the death of what I _thought_ was my true love. Can you imagine what I'd do if something happened to Emma, who just might be my _actual_ true love?" She saw the expression on Helena's face. "Don't tell me you're not having the same thoughts? What would losing Myka do to you? And what would you do to the rest of the world?"

"I don't know what I'd do," Helena admitted in a tortured whisper. "And you're right, of course ... I am absolutely terrified. It's the reason why I kept my distance from Myka for so long."

"Welcome to the club," Regina said gently. "We're quite a pair, you know."

Helena snorted. "Can you imagine what would have happened if we had met when we were both still homicidal?"

Regina smiled. "The world ... any world ... would have come to an untimely, albeit creative and spectacular end."

"We can't ever let that happen," Helena stated suddenly, urgently. "No matter what happens to the women we love." She stared into Regina's eyes, deadly serious. "If anything happens to Emma, I promise I'll be there for you, to talk you off the ledge, to help you through anything."

Regina teared up. Just the thought of something happening to Emma was killing her inside, but she nodded solemnly. "If anything happens to Myka, I'll be there for you. I won't let you destroy the world or yourself." Then she wrapped her arms around Helena and hugged her hard.

"Go," she told her friend, "be with Myka. I think I have to talk to a certain sheriff."

Helena grinned, recognizing a dismissal when she heard it. "Don't talk too much." She kissed Regina's cheek and scampered up the stairs, still managing to look graceful.

"How come she can manage to look like she's dancing up the stairs while I only ever manage to look like a drunken sailor or a major klutz?"

Regina turned around at the sound of Emma's plaintive voice. "It's because she's English, dear."

Emma snorted as she closed the gap between them. Every step she took made her feel better, calmer. "Interesting," she muttered.

"What is?"

"I feel better the closer I am to you," Emma replied. "And I had this strange feeling while you were talking to Helena. Like something was pulling me somewhere, but I had no idea what it was or where it was pulling me." She met Regina's eyes. "Is that weird?"

"Maybe a little," Regina whispered around a dry throat. "I can feel it, too."

"You can." It wasn't a question. "Does it have anything to do with the blue smoke we made earlier?"

"Perhaps ... I'm not sure."

"You're being vague on purpose so I can't tell if you're lying, aren't you?" Emma asked dryly as she studied Regina's face. "What is it you're afraid to tell me?"

Regina dipped her head, avoiding Emma's gaze, but Emma was having none of it. "Come on, Regina," she coaxed. "How bad can it be?"

"It's not bad," Regina said quickly. "Not really ..."

"But?" Emma tried again. "Regina, what can it be? We already know we make magic happen and-"

"I think we're linked by more than our magic," Regina interrupted.

"Huh." Emma thought about that for a moment. It would explain the feeling she had all evening, ever since the kiss. The unnatural sense of calm she felt in Regina's presence, even when she was angry. It would even explain the pull she had felt.

"This happened after our magic kiss, right?" She waited for Regina to nod. "Well, Henry would probably tell us that this is some surefire sign of true love." _True love ... never thought I'd talk about that in a serious manner, let alone feel it. But with all the crap that's happened recently, why can't something good happen for a change? _

Regina gasped softly, a reaction that surprised Emma. "I think Henry will be devastated, actually." Emma felt the sadness, whether through their supposed link or just because it was coming off the other woman in waves. She didn't necessarily disagree with Regina, unfortunately.

"He _will_? You do believe it's true love, don't you?" she asked, a smile spreading over her face. "I think you might be right. On both counts." _And why am I not freaking out? I don't even believe in true love._ "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I wasn't sure," Regina replied, feeling the sudden and unexpected need to defend herself. "It took me a while to put it together and we didn't really have time and ..."

"And?"

"I thought I had already lost my true love."

"Daniel."

"Yes."

"Well, maybe it's possible to have more than one true love."

"Or maybe the man for whom I cursed the world wasn't my true love." Regina winced. "Because I certainly didn't have this kind of connection with him."

Emma pulled Regina tighter into her arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "So, true love, huh?" She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with Regina's scent. Her heart beat faster and her lower belly clenched. A second later, she could feel Regina shiver. _Interesting. _That _was fast becoming her favorite word, it seemed._

"Yes, Ms. Swan." Regina's voice was low and husky, which just made Emma's insides clench harder. "Looks like we have a lot to talk about."

Emma stared at her in disbelief. She _knew_ she wasn't alone in feeling the arousal slowly stirring between them. "I'm not really in the mood to talk," she said with a grin, her voice taking on a husky tinge.

"Emma-"

Emma stopped Regina with a searing kiss. "Not in the mood," she panted once they parted. She moved back in for another kiss, not stopping until she felt a little lightheaded.

"Emma." It sounded more like a moan this time.

"Shut up and take me to bed, Regina."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I wanted to thank everyone who sent me messages and comments with good wishes for my cat. As those of you who follow me on tumblr may already know, I had to let my boy go last Monday, which also explains why I wasn't really in the mood for writing. However, after a few days my muse sat me down and told me that writing would be good for me and so I indulged in some creative therapy. **  
**A/N 2: To make up for updating late, this chapter is almost three times as long as most of the others. It also pushes the rating firmly to M.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters.**

* * *

"Hey." Myka closed her Farnsworth and put it on the bedside table. "How are they?"

Helena closed the door quietly and walked over to the bed. "Not sure about Emma, but I think she's a little overwhelmed by everything."

Myka smiled. "Understandable. We did put her through the ringer a bit." She and Helena shared a grin. "What about Regina? I like her, by the way ... I can see why you're friends with her."

"Even though you were a little bit jealous?" Helena smirked.

"Yeah, I guess I was," Myka admitted. "Can you blame me? We were getting so close and then suddenly ..." She raised her hands and dropped them again. "Then you started to withdraw, with no explanation. I had no idea why ... didn't know what to think ... Why did you just leave me in the dark?" Her voice suddenly got very serious. "Why didn't you ever say anything about what was going on?"

Helena sighed as she sat down next to Myka. "Simply put, I was scared," she admitted in a low voice. "Still am, actually."

"Scared? Of me?" Helena nodded. "But why? I love you, Helena, you must know that." Myka managed to look confused and devastated at the same time.

"That's exactly why, Myka." Helena cupped Myka's face in her hands. "I know that you love me and I've known for a while." She smiled ruefully. "I guess in a way you may have loved me almost as long as I have loved you." Myka's eyes widened, but she remained quiet.

"You know," H.G. continued thoughtfully, "I've never met anyone quite like you. I realized that even the first time we met, in London." She smiled. "I went after Pete that first day because I knew you would never fall for something as clumsy as an attempt at seduction."

"Plus, you couldn't know if I was gay or not," Myka mused.

"Wouldn't have mattered," H.G. grinned, supreme self-confidence firmly in place. "I at least would have managed to get you flustered enough to find my way inside my old house."

"That's ... probably true," Myka sighed.

"But I couldn't go after you because you were much too precious for that." H.G.'s thumbs caressed Myka's face. "And once I got to know you better, once you accepted me so easily despite my very obvious flaws, I definitely couldn't burden you with my feelings any more."

"Helena, no-"

"Please," H.G. stopped Myka's interruption. "Let me finish." She waited until Myka nodded before she continued. "You know I have a very dark side and what scared me was the thought of what could happen if I ever lost you." She looked around the room. "It took a lot of apple cider conversations with Regina to see that I was probably wrong."

"So you don't think you'd go off the deep end again if anything happened to me?"

Helena shook her head. "No, but she made me realize that losing you, to death or anything else, has the possibility to destroy me, regardless of whether or not I admitted my feelings for you. And since not loving you was never an option, I now had to decide if I wanted to be happy and scared with you, or miserable and scared without you."

Myka suddenly wasn't sure she wanted to ask the question, let alone hear the answer. H.G. saw the indecision. "Until we came here today, I still wasn't sure what to do," she admitted quietly. "But watching Regina and Emma today, and seeing them both so willing to overcome the enormous obstacles between them ..." She shrugged. "I just didn't see the point in fighting my feelings for you anymore."

Myka wordlessly pulled H.G. closer and kissed her with all the feelings running through her. Love, desire, humility ... everything she felt she wanted to express through the gentle movements of her lips. Her eyes were teary when they parted for air. "I love you, Helena, and I'm insanely grateful that Regina was framed for murder."

H.G. chuckled. "I'll be sure to tell her in the morning." She kissed Myka again. "I love you too, darling."

"I'll thank her myself," Myka mumbled against H.G.'s lips before she deepened the kiss and pushed H.G. on her back. "Now be quiet," she whispered.

"Yes, ma'am." H.G. grinned happily as she began to pull off Myka's shirt. "You're exquisite," she whispered reverently.

"Stop talking," Myka ordered.

H.G. shrugged mentally, her ability to speak already impaired anyway, as she pulled Myka closer, intensifying their kisses.

_Finally_ , Myka thought, letting out a languid moan as the kiss deepened. She wanted to feel Helena everywhere, and everywhere at once. For a millisecond she wondered why she wasn't nervous, seeing as it was their first time together, but then she forgot about it as Helena's tongue began exploring her lips, teeth, and tongue in earnest.

They shared hot, open-mouthed, passionate kisses, lips and tongues moving constantly with each other, around each other, teasing, retracting, giving, taking, exploring, arousing, licking, nipping, and biting.

Soon their mouths were not enough and their hands began roaming freely as far as they could reach. Helena growled somewhere deep in her throat when her hands met fabric and she began to divest herself and Myka of anything that was getting in the way of their need.

"God, yes, Helena," Myka moaned when H.G.'s lips, tongue and teeth traced a path from her lips to her jaw, and along the jawline towards Myka's earlobe. H.G. bit down gently and sucked the small bit of flesh into her mouth, licking and sucking in turns, provoking a low groan from Myka.

"Can you imagine what I want to do to you in other places?" the hoarse question was whispered directly into Myka's ear.

"Show me," Myka moaned, pulling H.G. closer.

And Helena did.

/|||\\\

Emma and Regina made their way up the stairs nowhere near as gracefully as Helena had, but then again H.G. hadn't tried it attached to another human being by lips and hands and hips. They tried to be quiet so as not to disturb the others – not that Regina believed for a second that H.G. and Myka were actually sleeping – but that only seemed to intensify the urgency with which they climbed the stairs, crashing into the wall and the banister along the way.

"Oof." Regina hissed as her back hit the wall next to the door to Henry's room. Her hands tightened in Emma's shirt in pure reflex.

"Sorry." Emma winced in sympathy, but her hands never stopped moving. Somewhere between the foyer and this spot her right hand had managed to find its way under Regina's shirt and Emma couldn't stop touching Regina's incredibly soft skin. Unconsciously, she pressed Regina more firmly against the wall, not even noticing the two picture frames falling off the wall and landing with a thud and a crack on the floor.

Regina closed her eyes and groaned loudly at the feeling of Emma's lips nibbling back and forth along her jawline, teeth tugging at her earlobe every few seconds. "Ms. Swan," she moaned, trying to get Emma's attention. "We ought to ..." She barely swallowed back another moan and tried to push against Emma's shoulders. "Stop."

No reaction apart from more nipping and sucking, which elicited another low groan from Regina. _If Emma didn't want her parents to know about them – yet – she shouldn't put this much focus on marking her._ "Emma, stop," she tried again.

Emma rested her full body against Regina's and became utterly still. Her lips never left Regina's throat when she spoke. "Can't." She groaned. "Regina, I can't." She actually sounded pained. "I can't. I want you."

Regina gently pulled Emma's head up and met her eyes. "I didn't mean stop completely, you idiot," she whispered tenderly, making the insult sound like a verbal caress, and pressed a soft kiss against Emma's lips. "I want you too, just not out here in the hallway."

"Oh, thank God." Emma let her forehead rest against Regina's, her breath rushing out in a relieved exhale. "I wouldn't have survived anything else." She straightened herself and took Regina's hand. "Let's go then!"

Regina grinned at Emma's enthusiasm and followed.

/|||\\\

A thump. Another. Two small thuds and a cracking sound.

"What was that? Was that on your side? What's going on over there?" Claudia's face stared up at Jinksy from his laptop with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

He grinned. "Yeah, that was here. I'm guessing the Evil Queen and her White Knight are in a bit of a hurry to make it to the royal bedchamber." He was tired and knew that Claudia would appreciate the hint of snark.

"The who and the what now?"

Jinks laughed quietly. "You sound like Pete."

Claudia sighed. "Yeah, too much time hanging around him, I guess."

"So, you been surfing yet? Ridin' the waves? Or is Pete having all the fun? How many women has he chased-"

"Wait, what, you're not gonna explain the whole Evil Queen, White Knight and that thump and the crack and the royal bedchamber thing?" Claudia interrupted in a huff.

Jinks shook his head with a tired smile. "That's a seriously long story and much better told over a couple of beers when we're both home." He saw her starting to protest and stopped her. "Claude, it's late here and I need to get some sleep."

Claudia snorted. "Dude, if the sounds indicate what I _think_ they do, good luck with that. Hope your room is in another wing of the palace or whatever that place is." She grinned broadly, not looking the least bit sorry for him. "Tada!"

Claudia signed off with a little flourish, leaving Jinks to close his laptop with a resigned sigh. "Yeah," he muttered to the comic-cover Wolverine lying next to him on the small bed. He was just glad that he hadn't mentioned anything about Myka and H.G. to Claudia or he never would have gotten any sleep.

He heard the sound of steps hurrying down the hallway and a door closing none too gently, followed by a loud thud.

_Oh, great._ Jinks groaned and pulled the pillow over his head.

/|||\\\

As soon as the bedroom door closed behind them Regina found herself pressed against it by a very insistent Emma Swan.

Emma studied Regina's face for a long moment, drowning in the dark eyes that made no attempt at hiding the emotion swirling within. She wrapped her hands in thick strands of dark hair and pulled Regina into a searing kiss that left them both breathless. She went back for another kiss and then another, trying to put all her love and desire into it. Her hands moved to Regina's back, reaching up under the silk shirt, tracing and gripping the soft flesh and scratching lightly with blunt nails.

Regina let out a strangled moan from deep in her chest when she got hit by the desire that flowed from Emma in almost visible waves. Emma's arousal fueled her own and she kissed back, deeply, possessively and passionately. Her hands began to wander and she began to turn their bodies so she was pressing Emma against the door.

At least she tried to.

She was met by a gentle, but firm resistance she hadn't fully expected. And to her own surprise she acquiesced and let herself be pushed back against the door. Emma was caring in her movements, all the time kissing Regina with slow, deliberate strokes of her tongue, pressing her against the door with soft insistence, pushing into her with her thigh between Regina's legs. Neither woman took notice of the fine blue mist that seemed to fill the space they shared.

"Please, Ms. Swan." Regina moaned at the feeling of Emma's leg against her center. "I have a ... perfectly good ... bed," she husked.

Emma smiled contentedly at Regina's sudden difficulty forming coherent sentences. _But still with the Ms. Swan ... _"Say my name," she whispered hotly against Regina's lips, pressing her thigh more firmly against the other woman for good measure. "Say my name and I'll take you to bed." Truth was, she doubted she would be able to stand much longer as well.

Regina stared into Emma's eyes, the expression in them strangely unreadable to Emma for a second. Then the look vanished, replaced by a warm gaze. "Please, Emma," she emphasized the name. "Bed."

Emma rewarded Regina with another kiss, before she stepped away and unceremoniously began to take her own clothes off. She got as far as the first button on her shirt when Regina stopped her. "Let me," she ordered softly.

"Hurry," was Emma's short reply, her brain already busy imagining what lay ahead.

Regina shook her head. "We have time."

Emma groaned and pulled Regina close again by the lapels of her blazer. "We really, really don't," she said hoarsely as she pulled the garment off Regina's shoulders. _Anything to get closer._ She couldn't understand how or why, but there was a burning feeling inside of her that urged her to be close to Regina, to press their skin together, to melt into the other woman. "I need to ..." she tried to explain, but there were no words to express her need. Instead, she dragged the index finger of her right hand from Regina's throat down to her stomach and back, watching the trail of blue mist that followed her movement. _Pretty._

"How much do you like that shirt?" Emma tugged at the top button, her eyes taking on a desperate hue.

Regina studied the beautiful face before her, seeing the desperation and desire, and the burning need they both shared. The blue swirls between them made her feel like her body was on fire, as if the magic inside of her was rushing through her veins, pushing outward, trying to get to its counterpart. She wondered if their magic was trying to tell them something and would stop once there were no barriers between them. Suddenly she couldn't wait another second to find out.

"I don't like it all that much," she whispered, looking down at her favorite shirt. "How much do you like yours?"

It was Emma's best dressy shirt and the one that best brought out the color of her eyes. "I hate it," she replied, already moving to rip open Regina's shirt.

Buttons were flying everywhere as shirts were torn off and carelessly flung around the room. A moment later, shoes and pants were gone too, although it took Emma a few seconds longer to peel her skinny jeans off. Bras and panties flew _– there would be time in future days to appreciate Regina's silken lingerie,_ Emma thought with a sudden twinge of slight regret – and then their bodies came together unhindered by fabric.

There were twin groans, the sounds as close to relief as they were to desire, and the blue mist intensified for a long moment, thickening and swirling, before it seemed to seep into their bodies. Regina closed her eyes and shivered at the sensation, and wondered if Emma could feel it too, this merging of magics. She felt Emma tremble in her arms. _Apparently, she could._

"Whoa," Emma breathed, need and desire temporarily tempered by awe. She could feel the mist entering her body and spreading everywhere inside, knew somehow that in it she felt Regina's very essence, and to her surprise it wasn't dark or dangerous like she expected. All she felt was warmth and love. "Tell me you can feel that too," she muttered into dark hair.

Regina nodded into the crook of Emma's neck. "Your magic ... so warm and ... beautiful."

Emma pulled back just enough to meet Regina's eyes. "No, that's _your_ magic ... that's what I just felt."

"Mine?" Regina's eyes widened. "But that's impossible. My magic is-"

"Dark? Twisted?"

Regina nodded.

Emma smiled. "Didn't we talk about things that look impossible but aren't?" she mimicked Helena's question from earlier in the evening. "This is _magic_."

The look of hope on Regina's face was so beautiful that it almost felt unbearable to Emma. Regina was always stunning, but Emma had never seen her so radiant, so absolutely breathtaking. If she hadn't been in love with her already, she knew she'd be falling right now.

"It must be _us, _together," Regina breathed, more to herself than Emma. "_Our_ magic." For the first time she began to believe that maybe, _just maybe_, the two of them together might stand a chance against her mother. _Surely nothing could be stronger than this kind of magic._

Their eyes met and all of a sudden the desire that had somewhat abated in the last few moments came back a hundredfold. Simultaneously they pulled at each other, mouths clashing together in a hot, wet, ravenous kiss that had them breathless and light-headed with coiling need in seconds.

"Can you soundproof the room?" Emma panted between desperate kisses.

"Afraid you won't be able to stay quiet?" Regina lightly nipped at Emma's lower lip.

"Not sure I want to try." Emma moaned and dug her hand into Regina's hip. "And I sure as hell don't want you to."

Regina swallowed and stilled. "But I promised Henry ..."

"I know, I _know_. Just ... please? I'll explain it to him if I have to."

"Please don't, he doesn't need any more therapy." Regina waved her hand around the room, also adding a level of soundproofing to the guest bedroom across the hall. _Just in case. Make good use of it, H.G._ "Done."

"Thank you." Emma growled from deep within her throat, turning Regina's legs to jelly, as she pushed them until Regina's legs hit the bed. They shimmied and crawled, ending up in a tangle in the middle of the big bed, Emma half on Regina and half on the bed. She leaned over her to bring their lips together once more while running a hand up and down Regina's body, starting at the thighs and ending at her shoulders.

Regina was almost dizzy from the intensity of the kisses and the lack of oxygen, but it felt too good to even contemplate stopping. Her hands grappled at Emma's body, then dropped to the bed, fingers curling into the sheets, then back to Emma, desperate in their search for something to hold on to. There was a short moment of almost panic. _I'm losing control. I can't, that's not me. But ... _Then she couldn't focus anymore as Emma's continued touch was driving the thoughts from her brain. Her hands curled around the pillow her head was resting on as her body raised itself towards Emma. She had_never_ been submissive in any sense of the word, but by that point she was so unbelievably aroused that she didn't want to stop. _Well played, Ms. Swan_.

Emma lifted her body away from Regina's, slowly pulling out of the searing kisses they were sharing. Several nips at Regina's lips later she had moved far enough to be able to look into the dark eyes, which opened when Regina noticed her withdrawal. Emma could clearly read the question swirling within. "I love you, Regina," she whispered earnestly, a promise and an explanation. "Please let me love you."

Regina could only nod. She'd do anything to feel those lips on hers again, to feel Emma's touch. Emma straddled Regina's thighs, grounding her. She swallowed hard when she saw the trust displayed in the dark eyes that gazed up at her. Trust and love. The two things she had never expected to see in those eyes.

Emma ran her hands up and down Regina's torso again and again, never staying too long in one place and never touching where Regina wanted her the most. Her fingertips lazily drew concentric circles around two very attentive nipples, getting closer and closer which each turn, but never quite close enough. Once Emma sensed that Regina was about to implode from sheer anticipation, she took both nipples between her thumbs and index fingers and tugged on them. Hard.

Regina let out a low growl that was quickly followed by a moan that she couldn't have stopped had she wanted to. She was almost past being aroused at the moment. She was incredibly wet and knew that if Emma touched her, _really_ touched her, she would explode into a million little pieces. She tightened her grip on the sheets, feeling it grounding her.

It surprised her no end just how excited she was getting from Emma's touch. Their sex had always been fantastic, but the intimacy and intensity had never before reached this level. Not being in control, giving herself to the woman she loved, made her feel strong instead of weak all of a sudden.

A rather sharp tug on her nipples brought her back from her thoughts and made her groan. Emma leaned down to swallow the groans with her mouth as she covered Regina's lips in another fiery kiss. Then she moved lower, nibbling and licking her way to the two hardened peaks that almost looked like frozen raspberries by now, deeply red and firm. The blonde grinned and took the right one into her mouth, sucking gently before biting down and giving the straining nipple a sharp nip. Then she moved over to its twin to grant it the same treatment.

Regina tried to calm her body's natural instincts to take over, to seize control, sensing that Emma needed to do this her way. But when Emma began sucking and nipping on her nipples, her hips began to move in rhythm with Emma's mouth, almost bucking the other woman off of her. There was nothing she wanted or could do about it.

Emma slowly moved lower, licking a hot trail across Regina's toned stomach, following every movement the heaving muscles made. Regina was panting, trying to draw in deep breaths as her desire rose yet another notch. _Gods, I'm going to come soon if she isn't careful._

Emma smiled against Regina's navel, enjoying the almost constant moans coming from Regina. _It's a good thing nobody can hear us_.

Regina's whole body was burning, fire pulsing through her veins following wherever Emma's lips touched her body. She arched her body into her lover's touch, hands wrapped in silky blonde hair, clenching and unclenching. When Emma let loose with a groan that sounded more like pain than pleasure, Regina removed her hands and dug her fingers into the sheets instead.

"No," Emma groaned. "Don't let go." She blindly reached out with one hand to find Regina's, intertwining their fingers. Regina's free hand curled around Emma's head again.

Emma trailed her fingertips through Regina's damp curls. "God, you're so wet for me," she breathed in excitement. Regina's body lifted almost completely off the bed when Emma's finger grazed her swollen clit. "Oh, Emma, yes… yes!" was all she could think of or say.

Emma delighted in Regina's reactions and for a second regretted that it would be over soon. But she wanted to give Regina what she wanted, so she traced her fingers along her lover's outer lips with gentle determination.

Regina felt as if her body was completely out of control. It writhed in passion and need, overwhelming her with feeling. She couldn't think, only feel, and she realized somewhere in between sensations that she had never felt this good. She wondered if their mixed magic had something to do with it or if this simply was a result of true love. When she felt Emma's long fingers pausing against her entrance, she pushed her hips up in an attempt to draw her lover inside her.

Emma slowly entered her lover, restraining herself, not wanting to push too hard when all her instincts told her to fill Regina as deeply as possible. She moaned at the feeling of hot silkiness surrounding her finger, and she had to put conscious effort into not coming herself at the sensation. She pushed her aching center against the mattress, trying to alleviate the pressure that was building up inside her.

Regina wanted more, _needed_ more. "Please," she begged breathlessly. Emma pushed two fingers deep inside her lover, and began stroking her in a rhythm that matched the movement of Regina's hips against her. When those movements became more frantic, Emma pulled out and added another finger, stretching Regina's inner walls, which clenched around the fingers almost immediately.

Regina saw blue swirls exploding behind her eyelids and her heart almost beat out of her chest. "Yes!" she cried loudly as everything seemed to crash inside her and all around her, the world tilting for one glorious moment. She came hard, yelling Emma's name, digging her fingers into Emma's shoulders as her body gave in to the pleasure.

Emma knew she was close to coming herself when she felt her lover's orgasm begin. Regina's muscles clenched around her fingers, holding them in place, tightening as wave after wave of pleasure pulsed through her lover's body. When Regina cried her name and gripped her shoulders, Emma pushed deeply once more. In reaction, Regina raised her leg, bringing her thigh up against Emma's center, pushing her over the edge as well with a short, sharp cry.

Neither woman noticed the blue wave that spread outward from them, vanishing through the walls with a soft _whoosh_.

Emma didn't know how long she had been lying there, her fingers still buried deep inside Regina, when she felt her lover pawing weakly at her back. She looked up and met dark eyes. "Come up here, please," Regina whispered.

/|||\\\

Steve didn't see the blue wave rolling through his room, but he smiled in his sleep and rolled over contentedly, falling off the bed in the process. As he crawled back into bed his half-awake brain wondered about the absolute silence of the house. _This is weird. _Then he shrugged, settled under the blankets and fell asleep again, face pressed intimately against Wolverine's crinkled chest.

He was still smiling.

/|||\\\

Helena opened her eyes as she felt something brushing against her skin. She saw the soft blue color travel through the room and felt its touch like a warm caress. She could see Myka smile in her sleep and felt her own mouth curl up at the corners in response. _Good for you, Regina,_ she thought as she wrapped herself around Myka again, falling back asleep in an instant.

/|||\\\

In a house across town, a boy smiled in his sleep, while his grandparents tossed and turned with frowns on their faces.

On a ship, hidden just outside Storybrooke's harbor, an evil witch twitched in her sleep, swatting her hands against an invisible enemy, and a cricket-turned-therapist felt the magic bonds around him loosen. He escaped.

/|||\\\

Emma sighed at the wonderful feeling of Regina's hand softly stroking her head, fingers running through long strands of hair. She hadn't felt this peaceful in a long time, maybe not ever. She pressed a soft kiss against the shoulder she was resting on and felt Regina's lips against her head in response.

They had been lying like this for a while now, just enjoying the afterglow of what they knew had been a magical moment for both of them. Emma knew it had been so much more than sex or even making love – it had been a confirmation of the bond between them. She still had no exact idea what this bond was beyond love, true love even, but she knew that it was there and that it was real. She could feel it tugging inside her body as she thought about the blue cloud of magic. _I wonder ... _She raised the hand that was wrapped around Regina's middle and snapped her fingers. Immediately a small blue cloud appeared. _Ah._

"What are you doing?" Regina drawled lazily.

"Testing a theory," Emma muttered.

"What theory was that?"

"That we have the same magic now," Emma explained into Regina's neck. "Wonder if it's permanent."

Emma missed the look of complete wonder on Regina's face. "I don't know," the former queen whispered around the lump in her throat. "I guess we'll find out." She snapped her fingers right next to the spot where the remnants of Emma's little cloud were just dissipating, and the same kind of blue smoke appeared, although it looked a shade darker to Regina.

"What're you doin' now?"

"Validating your theory, dear," Regina replied contentedly. She pressed another kiss against Emma's head just because she could, reveling in the feeling that Emma wouldn't run this time. _She wouldn't, would she? _As if in response to her silent question, Emma slung her leg over Regina's and snuggled impossibly closer. Guess not. She resumed her soft strokes through Emma's hair, something she's always loved doing.

"That was you telling me you love me, wasn't it?" Emma's murmured sleepily. "You, stroking my hair after we had ... you know," she explained softly. "That was you saying I love you, wasn't it?" She leaned on her elbow so she could see Regina's face.

Regina nodded. "It was the only way I could express it without you knowing."

"I love you." Emma kissed her sweetly. "I'm sorry I kept running away." She snuggled back against Regina's neck and shoulder. "Won't happen again."

Regina kept stroking Emma's hair until her lover's breathing evened out before whispering a final _I love you_ and falling asleep as well.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews, faves and follows. They're much appreciated. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Except for my mistakes, obviously.**

* * *

Helena woke up feeling better than she had in years, which was most likely due to the fact that Myka was wrapped around as much of her body as she could. Warm breath caressed her neck where Myka's face was buried, hidden by wild curls. Helena grinned. She loved Myka's hair but the wild mane was a sight to behold this early in the morning.

H.G. moved her head a little to try and see the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was still early, close to 6.30am, still dark out, but she was awake and knew she wouldn't go back to sleep. _Not that it mattered ..._ she was just as happy to stay where she was, listening to Myka's soft, even breathing.

She closed her eyes contentedly as her hands began touching Myka in soft, lazy strokes, one hand going up and down the spine, the other trailing from shoulder to knee. H.G. knew she would never tire of touching the soft skin or watching the goosebumps chase her fingers.

"S'nice."

H.G. stopped mid-motion and turned her head a little to look at Myka in surprise. "Good morning, darling," she whispered with a smile.

"Don't stop," Myka grumbled softly. "It's nice." H.G. resumed her tender touch. "Why're you awake?" Myka began to sound a little more awake herself. "It's still dark."

"I know, but I feel more rested than I have in a long time," H.G. replied with a small shrug. "I think my body is just ready for the day to begin ... I have a feeling today is going to be quite interesting."

Myka pushed herself up on one elbow. "Are you getting Pete's vibes now?"

H.G. chuckled. "Don't worry, darling, I'll leave those to Pete. However, Snow and her Prince Charming seemed to lack the patience or any other virtuous attributes the brothers Grimm ascribed to them in their fairytale."

Myka groaned as she let herself fall back into her pillow. "Those stories were _completely_ off the mark, weren't they?"

"Indeed." H.G. snorted. "As if anyone could ever think Snow was fairer than Regina. That's just ludicrous. By the way ..." She leaned over and pressed her lips softly against Myka's. "Good morning, darling."

"Good morning," Myka whispered, her eyes still closed after the sweet kiss. "It is a good morning, isn't it? Even if I have to completely forget my knowledge of fairytales."

H.G. grinned widely. "It's a very good morning indeed." She kissed Myka again, this time a little more insistent, although her restlessness stopped her from turning the kiss into something that she wasn't going to be able to finish.

Myka read Helena's mood and slowly eased them out of the kiss. With a final peck she sat up and pulled on the robe she found by the vanity. "Wanna save some water and shower together? And then maybe you can fill me in on a few more characters I'm likely to run into here?"

Wordlessly, H.G. grabbed a robe for herself and followed Myka into the bathroom across the hall.

/|||\\\

"Grandma!"

"Henry?" Snow slowly looked up from the herbal tea she had been stirring for who knew how long, lost in thought. She had woken up even earlier than usual, cranky and strangely restless. There was a sense of foreboding that drove her from David's arms and into the kitchen. Something about Emma and Regina had struck her as strange the night before, but Snow didn't dare put her finger on what exactly she might have glimpsed between them. _It had almost looked like … No, not going there!_

"Grandma, are you okay? I've been calling your name for, like, five minutes." Henry didn't have time to deal with strange grown up behavior. He had woken up with a weird feeling and he couldn't find Emma to talk about it. Not that the feeling had been bad … _just weird._ Actually, if he thought about it more, it had been rather nice, sort of warm and cozy, and for a second it made him miss his mother. _Regina_, he reminded himself.

Snow shook herself. "Yeah, sure," she said. "Want some cocoa?"

Henry shook his head. "Where's mom? She wasn't there when I woke up."

_Sigh._ "Emma is at Regina's house," Snow explained, trying to sound less troubled about that than she actually was. "She went over last night to talk to Regina and then it just got too late, so she stayed over," she made up the last bit as an explanation, as much for Henry as for herself. _In a guest bedroom, I hope._

Henry frowned. "You said last night that mom just went for a walk."

Snow busied herself with her tea again. "Well, it seems like she walked straight to Regina's house." She was still bothered by that.

"Did she go to arrest her? Is my … is Regina going to jail?"

Snow faced her grandson, shaking her head again. "When I talked to Emma last night she said that she now knows that Regina is innocent." She shrugged. "If that's true, then of course she won't be punished." Snow hoped she managed to sound happier about that than she was.

"But she was so sure." Henry looked confused as he walked to the fridge and pulled out the orange juice. "Did she say why?" He started to drink directly from the pack with a challenging look at his grandmother, who didn't react beyond showing a frown on her face. _His mo… Regina would have scolded him for not using a glass_, and he certainly didn't miss that. Nope. Not at all. Not even a little bit.

"Not really," Snow replied.

"Can we go over there?" Henry asked. "Like right now? What if Regina put mom under some spell?"

That finally got through to Snow and she leaned down so she was closer Henry's face. "I know you don't trust Regina right now, but Emma was not under any spell last night. Okay?" _At least not the kind you use magic for._

Henry studied Snow's face. She didn't look _too_ worried, but she certainly didn't look happy either. "I still want to go," he insisted.

"It's early," Snow reminded him, pointing at the clock. _Not even 7am._ "What are you doing up at this hour anyway?"

Henry shrugged and lightly kicked a chair. "Don't know. I just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep."

Snow nodded. "Yeah, same with me."

"Grandma?"

"Yes, Henry?"

"Can we go _now_?"

Snow sighed and went to pull on her boots.

/|||\\\

Regina slowly opened her eyes, blinking once, twice in the murky pre-dawn light. Her chest was covered by blond hair, a sight which made her smile immediately. She studied her sleeping lover for a long moment, not even realizing the warm smile on her own face. She pressed a kiss against the blonde hair. "Thank you for staying," she whispered almost inaudibly.

"No place I'd rather be," came the sleepy reply against her collarbone.

Regina's smile widened. "You're awake."

"If you want to call it that." Emma raised her head and met Regina's eyes, unsure whether or not she should kiss her like she wanted to. _What the hell was appropriate morning-after behavior?_ She settled for a sweet smile and a "Good morning."

Regina saw the thoughts chasing each other in Emma's half-lidded eyes. She assumed that this situation was as new to Emma as it was to her. _We're both brilliant relationship experts ... this could get interesting._ For now, however, she knew exactly what she wanted. "What does an Evil Queen have to do to get a good morning kiss around here?"

She barely managed to finish the question around Emma's insistent lips. The kiss deepened at the first, almost tentative swipe of Emma's tongue against Regina's lower lip. And then they explored each other, getting reacquainted with the taste and feel of the other, moving seamlessly from leisurely to passionate and back for a few minutes.

Emma pulled herself fully on top of Regina, whose legs opened instinctively, making room for Emma's. When Emma started a slow rocking motion, pushing their cores together, Regina wrapped her arms and legs around Emma, cocooning the other woman.

Emma had never felt so safe or so loved as she did now, connected to Regina in any way possible. She wished she could wrap herself inside the other woman, get closer still. _I wonder if there's magic for that ... _She pulled out of their kiss, suddenly needing to see Regina's eyes, which met hers openly, not hiding anything this early in the morning. The morning light was still too weak to fill the room, but Emma could swear there was a light coming from Regina's eyes.

She had no idea Regina thought the same thing about her eyes. The feeling of Emma's body on top of hers was close to overwhelming, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the swirling pools of emotion in the green eyes staring straight into hers. The only thing thing she could think of was "I'm so glad that you stayed."

Emma grinned. "If I'd known how wonderful waking up with you would be, I'd have stayed sooner." She pushed herself a little more strongly into Regina, enjoying the resulting moan, guttural and deep. She senses that Regina needed reassurance this morning, not just flippant banter. "I'll never not stay," she added seriously. "I'm not sure I could bear to be away from you now."

Regina studied her lover in wonder, squeezing her arms and legs tightly, pulling Emma closer, ever closer. "Thank you," she whispered, almost not caring that her voice sounded small and frail.

"I love you," Emma said a little breathlessly. "And I'll be there for you, by your side, no matter what." Another hard push with her hips that had her getting dangerously close to the edge. _How is that even possible this fast?_ Emma felt Regina buck against her, a little desperation in her movement. _Unstoppable._

Regina gasped at the feeling of Emma's wetness mixing with her own. She was close, so close, so wonderfully surprisingly close that she could feel the coming release as it tingled its way down her spine, and she knew it was Emma's words as much as her actions that got her there this fast. "God, Emma," she rasped, breath coming in short pants now, her fingers digging deep into the muscles of Emma's back. "I love you." Another gasp. _Just a little more now._

Emma's brain was close to short-circuiting, overwhelmed as it was by feelings. Their centers pushing against each other in the most intimate way possible, Regina's nails raking up and down her back, digging into flesh, marking her, Regina's arms and legs that were holding her, not letting go, promising never to let go.

"Always?" Emma found herself asking, feeling almost pathetic for needing the reassurance.

"And forever."

Regina's reply was instant and true, and Emma came with a long, drawn-out groan, closing her eyes only when it became impossible for her to keep them open. Emma's reaction to her words, the joy and ecstasy in the green eyes making them almost unbearably beautiful, pushed Regina over the edge as well.

Afterwards, they lay together in a tangle of arms and legs, both breathing heavily, trying to get their bearing. "Wow," Emma breathed after a few long moments.

"Indeed." Regina tenderly pushed some hair out of Emma's eyes and tucked them behind her ear. "You're beautiful. I always thought so."

"Even when you hated my guts?" Emma pushed against Regina's hand like a cat who wants its head scratched. Regina took the hint and ran her hands through silky strands of hair, scratching the scalp here and there. Somehow she wasn't surprised when a sound not unlike a purr rumbled in Emma's throat.

"Even when I severely disliked you my eyes were working fine, Princess." She leaned up, the stretched column of Emma's throat too much of a temptation. _Besides, what was one more hickey next to the collection that was already there? _She sighed, remembering that they were still a secret and that she might have to use more magic if they wanted to hide this.

"The first time I saw you I thought you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen," Emma mumbled, distracted by Regina's lips and head scratches. "You still are, and I'm the luckiest woman in the world."

"I'm the lucky one, Emma," Regina whispered against Emma's skin. "I wish I knew how to love better than I do."

Emma groaned when Regina nibbled on a particularly sensitive spot. "You're doing just fine." She looked down when Regina stopped nibbling. "And I don't mean just _this_. The first thing I thought when I woke up this morning was that I had never felt so loved, so I'd say you're doing it just right."

That earned her another kiss, sensual and deep. When it was over Regina sighed. "I need to keep you safe," she said earnestly. "You and Henry. Would you please consider leaving with him until I've dealt with my mother?"

It was surprising to Emma how fast the feeling of dread could push out all the warmth and happiness she felt. But she was determined to stand her ground. "Regina, if anything, I think last night showed us that we need to stick together," she reminded her lover. "And I know you felt that too, you _feel_ that too. Together we make magic happen, our magic, and it's stronger than Cora and whatever she throws at us."

Regina conceded the point with a small nod, although she didn't look nearly as convinced as Emma would have liked. "I hope you're right," Regina finally said. "Can we at least send Henry to safety, with your meddling parents perhaps?"

Emma snorted. "We can try."

And then they were both laughing quietly at the futility of their idea, holding on to each other tightly in the early morning light, knowing their son and the Charmings would never willingly hide somewhere safe.

Emma snuggled back against Regina's side, holding on tightly, relishing the feeling of being loved, despite the danger they were facing. Regina ran her hands through her hair and Emma leaned up once more to press a loving kiss against Regina's lips.

As their desire to be close once more drove them to deepen the kiss and move together, following the rhythm of their heartbeat, they almost missed the yells and hurried steps clomping toward their door.

/|||\\\

"Did you find my tea?" H.G. asked as she wrapped her body around Myka's from behind. They had made it down to the kitchen after a long shower, which had not saved any water but had them thoroughly appreciating a roomy shower with sturdy glass walls. Their shower fun had left them both feeling relaxed and happy, and with slightly scratchy throats from trying to hold in their cries of pleasure.

"_Your_ tea?" Myka turned around in H.G.'s embrace and looped her arms around H.G.'s neck. "You have your own tea in Regina's house?" She couldn't help the tiny flare of jealousy coming up behind her eyes.

H.G. just chuckled and pressed a soft kiss against Myka's lips. "Yes, _my_ tea," she replied lightly. "Regina drinks coffee, but she got some tea when I started to stay over. And you know you can't just buy tea for one cup, darling."

Myka looked contrite. "Sorry," she mumbled. "It's just that I'm still getting used to this." She waved a hand between them. "To you suddenly being so open, and to me not having to hold back all the time."

Helena kissed her longer this time, reinforcing their newly-found freedom to express their feelings whenever they wanted. _At least while we're on vacation ... or something like it. _She knew Artie wouldn't be happy about their relationship, and not just because Helena knew he saw Myka as a daughter, although he'd never admit that. No, there was also the very real threat of their relationship compromising their work as agents because H.G. knew that if there ever came a choice between getting an artifact and saving the world or saving her lover ... _well, there wouldn't be a choice at all_. She tightened her hold on Myka and felt herself being squeezed in return.

"It's going to be difficult when we get back, isn't it?" Myka asked, reading her thoughts.

"Different perhaps," H.G. replied. "But I won't let them tell me whom I can love. If it comes to that I'll tell Artie and the Regents I'll stay at the warehouse and not do field work."

Myka laughed. "Yeah, that's exactly what he'd want." They shared a grin. "I won't let them tear us apart, you know that, right?"

"I know, darling."

The knock on the door wasn't as demanding as the ones the night before, but H.G. had a feeling they would still find the same people behind the door. With a sigh, she walked to the foyer, Myka's hand in hers, and opened the door.

"Snow," H.G. greeted coolly. "Hello, Henry." Her voice was warmer with him. Henry looked up at her in stunned silence.

"Ms. Wells," Snow said, her voice flat. "Ms. Bering."

"That's Agent Bering," H.G. reminded her, suddenly feeling quite contrary.

"And Agent Wells," Myka added, picking up on Helena's mood, which only added to her own dislike for the woman on the front stoop. _Why does it feel like we're drawing battle lines in the sand?_

"Agent Wells? You're an agent?" Henry blurted, the tips of his ears reddening slightly. "What kind? And why are you here? When did you come? Where's my mom?"

_Oh my, _Myka thought. _Another one fallen to the charms of H.G. Wells. _She would recognize an awkward pre-teen crush anywhere.

Helena opened the door wider and allowed Snow and Henry inside, just a little surprised that they had come alone. "David still parking the horse?" she asked snarkily. To her credit, Snow ignored her.

Once in the kitchen, Helena turned to Henry. "How often do I have to tell you to call me Helena, darling?" Henry blushed a bright red. "As for what kind of agents we are ... well, that's secret -"

"I don't like secrets," Henry interrupted challengingly.

"But that's what we are," Myka jumped in. "Secret Service." She pulled out her badge and showed it to Henry

The boy studied it for a moment, then looked around the room. "Where's my mom?" he demanded again.

"Well, I'd guess that Regina is still in bed seeing as it's quite early."

"Not _her_." Henry spat, and Myka and H.G. winced. _Charming boy._ "My _mom_. Emma." He began walking toward the den, looking for her. "Emma?" He called, then turned back to Helena and Myka when he couldn't find a sign of her. "What did she do to my mom?"

_You really don't want to know_ , Myka thought as she shot Helena a look that asked, _What do we do now?_

"Warn them," H.G. mouthed and Myka moved slowly toward the stairs, not wanting to alert Henry to where she was headed. She didn't think Regina and Emma would appreciate being surprised in bed by their son. _That would always be awkward, but if said son didn't know you were together and thought that one of you wanted to hurt the other ... Yeah. Bad._

Before she could get up more than two stairs, however, Henry barreled past her, taking two stairs at a time, running to Regina's bedroom. "Mom? Where are you? Mom!"

"Henry, wait!" H.G. yelled.

Myka pressed herself against the wall as Snow and Helena raced after him, knowing she wouldn't be needed. There were more than enough people on their way to the master bedroom to embarrass Regina and Emma. There was nothing anyone could do to stop _that_ train wreck, so she focused on the things she could do. If Emma and Regina were anything like her, they'd need coffee soon. She returned to the kitchen and busied herself there, keeping one ear on any sounds from upstairs.

She was guessing that whatever was happening upstairs wouldn't be pretty and she was almost relieved when her Farnsworth went off.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'm not 100% happy with how this chapter turned out but since I didn't think a third or fourth rewrite would make it any better, I thought I'd better post it. ;-)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own OUaT or WH13. Obviously.**

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Regina reluctantly wrenched her lips from Emma's.

"Hear what? S'nothing," Emma mumbled, already chasing after Regina's mouth again. She pulled herself fully on top of Regina in an attempt to be as close as humanly possible. Her lips began a thorough exploration of Regina's with nips and licks and sucks on her lower lip, and then a soft flicking of her tongue against the center of her upper lip.

Regina groaned low in her throat. "Emma," she moaned with a breathless quality that shot straight through Emma's body and into her center. "Are you sure?" Regina asked, words pressed out between ragged breaths and around Emma's lips.

"I'm sure," Emma mumbled distractedly. "I'm sure I want you, I'm sure I need you, and I'm pretty damn sure I'm going to die if you don't kiss me right now."

Regina was stunned into silence, all outside sounds forgotten, all her focus on Emma who leaned up, body weight supported by her outstretched arms, hands placed next to Regina's head. Regina reached up to tenderly push some stray locks out of Emma's face, wanting nothing to obstruct her view of those amazing green eyes. She pushed the hair behind Emma's ears, then trailed her hands down Emma's throat, fingertips burning a trail along Emma's skin. When Regina's hands cupped her breasts, Emma moaned and almost lost her balance. "God, Regina, you have no idea what-"

The door flew open with a bang and Henry stormed in, yelling at the top of his lungs. "Moooom!" He stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted Regina and Emma frozen in shock on the bed, barely noticing when Snow came to a stop beside him, gasping loudly.

"Stop!" Henry yelled at Regina. "What are you doing to my mom?"

"Emma!" Snow added her own shocked yell as she pulled Henry into her side in pure reflex, hiding his eyes behind her hands.

That finally caused Emma to collapse onto Regina's body, hiding both of them as much as possible. Regina scrambled for a blanket at the side of the bed but couldn't reach it with the dead weight of a mortally embarrassed lover on top of her. "Ms. Swan," she hissed. "Move." Emma shook her head.

Helena surveyed the room and walked to the foot of the bed to recover the duvet that Regina and Emma had managed to kick down there at some point. She took a second to appreciate what she could see of Regina's and Emma's bodies before she covered them with a flourish.

"Sorry," Helena said with a grimace. "We really tried to stop them."

"Thank you," Regina croaked, close to choking under Emma's full body weight. She tried to roll Emma off of her, but the other woman wouldn't budge.

Henry struggled against Snow's grasp and managed to get another look at the bed. When he saw that Emma wasn't moving and Regina pushing at her, he got even more concerned. "What did you _do_ to her? Why isn't she moving?" He closed his eyes in blind panic, replaying the scene as they had entered the room. "You had her hand on her heart! Did you take my mom's heart?"

Before Regina could say anything, Henry ran over to the bed and started shaking Emma. "Mom! Say something! Did she take your heart? I knew she was evil! Mom!"

_Say something, Swan, or your son's gonna have a stroke!_ Emma finally looked up, face beet red over the border of the blanket that covered half her face. "I'm fine, Henry," she said. _Dying from embarrassment, but fine._ "Really," she assured him. "I'm sorry you found out this way, but-"

"Found out what?" Snow asked from just inside the door. "Emma?"

Emma shot her mother a look. "_Really_, Snow?" Snow had the decency to at least blush and keep quiet.

Helena cleared her throat. "I think it would be wise to continue this conversation downstairs once all parties are appropriately dressed for the occasion."

The look Emma gave her was pathetically grateful, but it was the look on Regina's face that worried H.G. She met Emma's eyes and motioned toward Regina until Emma looked at her lover and gasped. "Regina?"

Helena nudged Snow who finally remembered her grandson who was standing next to the bed that held both his mothers, naked and having been interrupted doing ... _No, not thinking about it now. No. Never. This is not happening. _With denial tumbling merrily through her head, Snow grabbed Henry and pulled him away.

At the door Snow stopped and turned around. "I expect you two downstairs as soon as you're ready." She stared at Emma with her best mom glare. "And by ready I mean showered and dressed. And by soon I mean very, _very_ soon."

Emma nodded absently, her focus on Regina, who looked devastated.

_Well, fuck._

/|||\\\

H.G. and Snow had to drag Henry down the hallway kicking and complaining at the top of his lungs. He was determined to get back to the bedroom to protect his mother, insisting loudly that Regina was doing _evil things_ to her. Snow didn't necessarily disagree, but knowing that she and Henry were thinking of wildly different things Regina had been doing to Emma, she put more effort into dragging Henry along.

When they came even with the door to Henry's room, the boy once more tried to get away, but all he managed was to kick the door. He jumped back in surprise when the door was opened from the inside by a man dressed only in blue boxer shorts and a faded orange t-shirt with an image of Ganesha on it. H.G. raised an eyebrow at Steve's choice of sleeping attire and smirked when he hastily put his hand behind his back, hiding the Tesla.

"What's the ruckus?" Steve asked around a small yawn, desperately trying to sound more alert than he was.

"Who are you?" Henry demanded. "What are you doing in my room?"

Steve looked down. "Hello, I'm Steve," he replied evenly, not reacting to the boy's aggressive undertone. "You must be Henry. Nice comic collection."

Henry nodded absently and for the first time that morning he looked uncertain as to how to proceed. H.G. could read his thoughts in the way his gaze wandered from person to person, staying on his mother's bedroom door for a long moment before resting on her. _There was a strange guy in his room, he had found his mothers in bed together, naked, with Regina doing what he thought were evil things to his mom, and now she and his grandma were trying to drag him away from there ... _

H.G. looked at Steve. "I think it's safe to assume that the night is over." She grimaced, trying to keep an eye on Henry, who looked sullen and confused. "You might want to get dressed and get downstairs. Myka made tea and coffee." Steve nodded and closed the door behind him. H.G. nudged Snow, who had been watching everything, jaw dropped open, eyes wide, and started for the stairs again. This time Henry followed along, still looking a little confused, and H.G. _almost_ felt sorry for him. Then she remembered what he'd said to Regina and her compassion vanished quickly.

In the kitchen Myka wordlessly handed H.G. a steaming mug of tea, which she took with a grateful smile, before facing Snow and Henry who were standing off to one side.

"Was it as bad as I imagine?" Myka asked softly.

Helena sighed quietly. "Worse ... Snow and Henry sure know how to pick their moments."

"Uh-oh." Myka moved her head in the direction of Snow and Henry. "So what do we do?"

H.G. pushed herself away from the counter she had been leaning against. "I think we should consider Caesar's tactics," she replied.

"Divide et impera, got it." Myka smirked. "I'll take Snow."

"Yes, I think that would be best," Helena sighed. "Just pray that I won't wring dear Henry's little neck."

"I'm not worried, you love children."

H.G. gave her a serious look. "I am not particularly fond of this one right now."

Myka ran her hand up and down H.G.'s arm in comfort. "Stay strong, love. No killing or maiming of minors, okay? Regina and Emma wouldn't appreciate it."

Helena nodded and walked over to Henry and Snow, leading Henry out of the room after a few words with Snow.

Myka allowed herself one long, drawn-out internal sigh before she addressed Snow. "Would you like some tea?"

/|||\\\

Emma bit her lower lip as she forgot all about her own embarrassment in the face of Regina's obvious distress. She wasn't sure what to do. _This is why I never stay._ She tried to shake herself out of it. _This is different, Swan. This is the woman you love ... who was just told by her son for the umpteenth time that he thinks she's evil ... while you can't do no wrong in his eyes ... oh, Henry. _She took a deep breath. _Well, if in doubt, go with levity._ "So much for keeping us a secret for a little while, huh? At least we won't have to hide our hickeys now ..."

When Regina didn't react at all, Emma got really worried. "Hey," she said softly, rubbing her nose gently against Regina's cheek. No reaction. "Talk to me, Regina," she implored softly. "You're beginning to scare me. It wasn't _that_ bad." _Actually, it _was _that bad and you freezing in shock probably didn't help at all._

Suddenly Regina's eyes met hers with blazing intensity. "This is all your fault, Ms. Swan." Her voice was brittle, but surprisingly unconvinced. "Did you _hear_ him?"

Emma's anger flared up at the accusation, but it abated just as quickly when she listened to the desperation and brokenness in her lover's voice. "Yes, I heard Henry, and he's going to hear about _that_ from me later, but ... yes, it was embarrassing and awkward, but it's not anybody's fault. It's just a totally fucked up situation."

Regina gave her a long look. "None of this would have happened, if you -" She stopped, realizing what she was doing. She couldn't help herself, she was falling back into old patterns that felt as weird to her now in regards to Emma as they were comforting in their familiarity.

"If I _what_, Regina?" Emma's voice was dangerously low. "If I hadn't come to town? Stayed in town? Fallen in love with you? Somehow _forced_ you to fall in love with me?" Emma was close to shaking Regina. _Stop, Swan. Lashing out is a classic Regina tactic when she's hurt. It has nothing to do with you._ That didn't stop Emma from being hurt by it. Still, she took another deep breath and calmed herself as much as she could. "Please stop reverting to your evil queen ways when you're scared, Regina," she pleaded. "It's not working and, quite frankly, I deserve better."

"You heard Henry," Regina whispered brokenly. "I _am_ the evil queen and to him I never will be anything else." A sob escaped. "You will always be the mother he loves, and I will be just someone that he used to know when he was a child."

Emma was speechless. "That's not ..." She hesitated. Of course, Henry's behavior could lead Regina to think that, and Snow and David – _and admit it, Swan, you – _hadn't really helped in recent weeks ... _months_. "I'm sorry, Regina," she said. "I know he loves you, even if he doesn't realize it right now. I think we need to talk to him and Snow and David about how things are going to be from now on."

Emma lay back down, snuggling close to Regina, simply following her when the other woman tried to keep some distance between them. Regina was close to falling off the side of the bed when Emma decided to try something else. She put her hand on Regina's chest, right over her heart. Almost immediately, Regina's breathing and with it her whole demeanor calmed a little. _Holy crap, I found the off switch for bitchy Regina_, Emma thought semi-seriously, enjoying the feeling of Regina's heartbeat slowing down and her total body relaxing.

"That's not fair," Regina mumbled as her body curled itself closer into Emma's without any conscious thought on her part. "This ... this magic makes it totally impossible for me to be mad at you."

Emma chuckled. "I think it just makes it impossible for _us_ to be irrationally mad at each other. I think it's safe to assume it works both ways."

Regina's hand found its way to Emma's chest, where a heart beat in sync with hers. "Looks like it," she agreed, then frowned. "I'm not sure I like being stripped of my own free will if I want to be mad at you." She was serious, but her hand never left Emma's chest.

Emma thought about that for a moment. It did feel a little like being under mind control, although in a good way, _if there was a good way. Although ... _"Was it really your free will that made you go off at me just now?" she asked curiously. "Or was it your defense mechanisms rearing their ugly head? I think you're scared and embarrassed and you lashed out at the closest target. And you can't hit any closer than the love of your life." She smiled.

Regina's lips twitched as she tried not to return the smile. "Who said you're the love of my life?"

"You did, sort of." Emma grinned. "Or are you saying you have another true love stashed here somewhere? Maybe in that huge closet over there?" She leaned in to press a soft, lingering kiss to Regina's lips. "If it makes you feel better, you're the love of _my_ life."

Regina ran her fingertips along Emma's cheekbone. "How is it that you're so calm and mature about this? I assumed that a complication like this would make you run for the hills."

"I don't know," Emma admitted. "My first instinct was to run and hide or lash out right back at you, but I sort of figured this wasn't really about me. Knowing that what we have is true helps a lot with my issues ... the issues that used to make me run away."

"You ran because you were scared." It wasn't a question.

Emma nodded. "I always thought it was better to run than to be hurt at some point later on. Abandonment issues, commitment issues, you name it, I probably have them. A lot of foster kids do."

"I'm so sorry," Regina whispered.

Emma nodded. "I know you are, although it wasn't really your fault."

Regina started to protest, but Emma stopped her. "No, you didn't put me in that wardrobe because of some damn prophecy ... and right now I'm even sort of glad my parents did it. My childhood wasn't fun, but I wouldn't change a thing, if it means I get to have you and Henry in the end."

Regina swallowed hard. "God, I can't believe I ever thought you were an inarticulate peasant." She pulled Emma into a searing kiss.

Emma grinned once they broke for air. "I have my moments." She stole another, shorter kiss. "Urgh, I don't want to get up and go downstairs."

Regina sighed, mood effectively sobered. "Henry believes I stole your heart."

"You did," Emma said with a small shrug. "Just not in the way he thinks, and I got yours in return."

"That was sappy, my dear." Regina smirked. "Even if it's true. So, how do we convince our son that I'm not out to crush the Savior's heart?"

"We show him that my heart is safe with you," Emma replied instantly.

"And how do you propose we do that?"

"We show him that my heart is where it's supposed to be," Emma explained. "You take it out, we show it to him, you put it back."

Regina looked shocked. "Emma, no!"

"It's the most efficient way," Emma argued. "He thinks you ripped out my heart, so we show him that it's still where it's always been."

"Emma, I don't want him to see me do that." Regina bit her lip. "Besides, he would just think it's another trick or a manifestation of my evil abilities. You don't often hear about _good_ people ripping out hearts ..."

_She has a point, _Emma thought, but then the obvious solution hit her. "Do you think I can do that now? With our new blue magic cocktail, I mean? At least with your heart?"

"I don't know." Regina raised her eyebrow as her heart beat faster when Emma's hand curled on her breastbone. "But given that my heart just about tries to jump out toward you when you're this close anyway, I'd say it's a definite possibility."

Emma fixed her gaze on Regina's chest and pictured what she wanted to do. There was a faint sheen of blue around her fingers as she applied light pressure against skin and suddenly her fingers vanished inside Regina's chest. "Oh my God," she breathed.

Regina gasped. _Strange, I always thought it would hurt just a little. _All she could feel was love and the intensity of their magic, which had gotten stronger as soon as Emma had started to think about using it.

"Does it hurt?" Emma asked, a little concerned. Her eyes wandered up to Regina's and she was surprised at the serenity she found there.

Regina shook her head. "Let me show you." She slowly pushed her hand into Emma's chest and tenderly curled her fingers around the strongly beating heart.

"Oh," Emma breathed. "It doesn't hurt at all when you do it." When Cora had tried it, the burning feeling had almost brought her to her knees. "It feels ... good, warm." She saw Regina nod, and for the first time in her life curled her fingers around a heart. "It's like I can feel your love for me." She sounded awestruck. "How is that even possible?"

"I don't know, but I can feel yours too." Regina gently stroked Emma's heart, before removing her hand from the chest. _So this was what being surrounded by actual, true love felt like. It was addictive._

Emma withdrew her hand as well. "That was incredible," she whispered around the sudden lump in her throat and wrapped herself around Regina, needing to be close after this.

"We need to get up," Regina reminded her regretfully after a few minutes of peaceful cuddling.

"I know," Emma mumbled. "But after this, it's the last thing I want to do." She sighed as she slowly sat up. "But we have a plan now, right?"

Reluctantly, Regina nodded. "But we try talking first," she insisted.

"Got it," Emma agreed. "No ripping out of hearts except as a last resort."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters.**

**A/N: Thank you all for your reviews (can't believe I'm over 100 now). Much appreciated. :D Not much longer to go, then you'll be rid of me ... we're getting closer to the end. Then again, I also said this was supposed to be a one-shot, so take this with a grain of salt ...**  
**A/N 2: This chapter got longer and longer, so I decided to split it into two chapters. In this part, Myka and H.G. take on Snow and Henry, respectively. The following chapter will be uploaded soon. So, here's the first part of the chapter that didn't want to end ...**

* * *

Claudia handed Pete the last of her airline peanuts when the older agent was close to vibrating in his seat. Food always calmed him down. She had told Pete about her talk with Jinksy and he had admitted to having some vibes that had nothing to do with their current mission on Hawai'i. So they both agreed they'd rather be in Maine.

Secretly Claudia thought that Pete was just as bored as she was with this so-called mission. It had taken them about two hours to grab and tag the artifact and there really had been no reason to stay in Honolulu any longer. They had raced to the airport, getting on the next eastbound flight. They conveniently forgot to tell Archie but Claudia did call Myka when they changed planes in Los Angeles. Myka had just grinned at her through the Farnsworth as she gave out directions to Storybrooke.

Claudia couldn't wait to see that Evil Queen and her White Knight that Jinksy had mentioned.

/|||\\\

Myka handed Snow a mug of tea, then leaned comfortably against the counter and sipped at her own coffee watching the most famous of all the fairytale princesses over the rim of her mug. Snow stared at the dark brew in her hand, before carefully sniffing at it.

"It's not poisoned," Myka quipped sardonically.

"It's from Regina's kitchen," Snow replied evenly, as if that explained everything, and to her it probably did.

"And _I_ made it and handed some of the same tea to _my_ ... girlfriend." Myka couldn't help the smile at just the thought of being able to call H.G. that. "If you don't trust Regina, trust in that. Or don't ... Your choice."

"Why are you here?" Snow asked bluntly, putting the tea down.

"Because Regina needed friends and she had nobody to turn to in this town," Myka replied simply. _Not even the woman she loves._

"You have no idea who she is or what she's capable of."

"I know exactly who she is," Myka replied evenly. "And I know who you are, _Snow White._"

Snow looked surprised. "So she told you," she murmured. "Interesting ... That doesn't change the fact that she killed a good friend."

"No, she didn't. I don't know what happened to your friend, but Regina had nothing to do with it." Myka's voice brooked no argument. "And if you had listened to Emma last night and trusted her, you'd believe that, too."

"I don't know what Regina did to Emma to make her believe that, but I won't be so easily fooled. I _know_ Regina."

Myka raised her eyebrow. "So you're saying Emma is ... what? Stupid? Gullible? That's not the woman I met last night."

"No, of course not!" Snow was flustered. "I just know Regina much better than she does. She's evil, and she always has been."

"I disagree," Myka said with a shrug. "But if you believe that you know Regina better than Emma does, _after_ what you barged in on upstairs, then you must have had an _intense_ relationship with her."

Snow actually growled. "Emma doesn't know what she's in for with Regina!"

"Emma is not as naïve as you make her out to be," Myka countered. She invaded Snow's personal space, her face serious. "Listen to me. They're in love with each other and nothing you say or do will change that. What they have is a good thing for both of them and you'd do well to remember that for Emma's sake."

"Regina can't love Emma." Snow shook her head. "She doesn't even know what love is ... she probably doesn't even have a heart anymore."

"You know that's not true," Myka reminded her quietly. "She knows what love is and when she loves, it is deeply and absolutely, and you should know that better than anyone."

Before Snow could say anything, Steve came in, freshly showered and in desperate need of his morning coffee. Myka grinned at the familiar sight as he stumbled towards the coffee maker, filled a cup to the brim and downed it in two big gulps before filling it again. Only then did he look up and notice Myka and Snow watching him. "Uh, did I interrupt something?"

Myka shook her head and grabbed more coffee for herself. She looked up when she heard footsteps and a moment later Regina and Emma came into the kitchen, holding hands, fingers intertwined. They met Snow's stare defiantly before looking around.

"Where's Henry?" Emma asked, addressing Myka rather than Snow.

Myka smiled a little wickedly. _Ooh, Emma's either still embarrassed or pretty pissed at Snow. Wonder what she said upstairs._ "Helena is talking to him." She pointed towards the study.

Regina and Emma both took a visible deep breath before looking at each other. "Ready?" Emma asked. Regina nodded, and they both turned and left the room.

Snow, Myka and Steve scrambled after them.

/|||\\\

Henry sat down on the sofa, managing to look confused and defiant at the same time. His arms were crossed in front of his chest, hands hidden under his arms, legs kicking out in no discernible rhythm.

H.G. looked out the window and took a minute to think about what she wanted to say to the boy. Right now his only saving grace was that she was certain that Regina and Emma would have a problem with her if she actually told the boy what she thought of his behavior. She sighed and turned to look at him. She knew he was bright, but saw the world in black and white only, when it was really all kinds of gray. She wondered if Henry would be open for an explanation about his mothers that didn't include Regina hurting Emma. _And am I really the one to tell him?_

"Henry ..." she started.

"Who was the guy in my bedroom?" Henry suddenly asked, interrupting her. "And the woman in the kitchen?"

H.G. made a mental U-turn. "The woman in the kitchen is my partner Myka," she replied with a fond smile. "And the young man in your bedroom was Steve. We all work together."

"For the Secret Service?"

"Yes." H.G. decided that mentioning the Warehouse would only get her into trouble. Besides, it wasn't a complete lie, at least not where Myka and Pete were concerned.

"What was he doing in my room?"

"He needed a place to sleep," H.G. replied with a half-shrug, wondering where this was going. "Your mom said that the sofa in here wasn't too comfortable."

"How would my mom know?" Henry's voice was icy. "She never slept in this house."

"I beg your pardon?" H.G. was taken aback at the continued venom in Henry's demeanor toward Regina, but Henry ignored her indignation.

"Why are you here at all?" Henry asked. "Why did he have to stay in my room? If anyone, then my mom should have stayed in my room."

"Your _mom_ and Emma slept in your mom's bedroom." H.G. was rapidly losing the last shred of patience with the boy. "_Together._" She dared him to say something, but he didn't. "And before you ask: Myka and I slept in the guest bedroom, which only left one option for Steve."

Henry frowned. "My room."

"Let me ask you something," H.G. said conversationally, switching tactics. "How come it's _your_ room when you don't even live here or consider Regina your mother any longer?"

"It's always been my room," Henry replied, the logic evident to him.

"Then why were you not in it last night instead of Steve?"

"Because I live with my mom now."

Even H.G. could hear the '_duh'_ in that once. She would have to remember to thank Claudia for that bit of education. "Well then, if you live somewhere else, that can't possibly be your room and therefore it shouldn't matter to you who sleeps in it."

Henry looked up sharply. "That doesn't sound right."

"Why? Are you planning on coming back to live here?"

Henry shook his head almost violently. "No!"

H.G. shrugged. "So, you don't want to live here, but you still consider it your room? Okay ..." She drawled the final bit, making it clear what she thought of that. Then she met his eyes with a shrewd look. "What would happen if Emma moved in here?"

"My mom?" Henry looked confused. "Why would she do that? You mean ... to keep an eye on the Evil Queen?" His eyes clouded over. "Or is it because Regina put her under a spell?"

H.G. wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at the way the world worked in Henry's head. "Maybe it would simply be because she _wants_ to be with your mom."

"Impossible." Henry was adamant. "That's not how it works. My mom is the Savior and Regina is-"

H.G. threw up her hands impatiently. "And they love each other, Henry," she bit out.

"_What?!_"

H.G. gentled her tone. "Your moms are in love with each other," she explained, wondering if fairytale terms would work better with him. "They are each other's happy ending ... together and with you."

Henry jumped up. "No!" He stalked around the room, movements jerky and agitated as his world tilted on its axis. "They can't be! The Savior has to defeat the Evil Queen, so that everyone can get their happy endings."

"Everyone except for one person, you mean."

That made Henry pause for a moment. "I ... I don't know." He paused again. "She doesn't deserve one, does she?" For the first time he sounded a little hesitant.

H.G. kneeled down in front of Henry and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "Henry, how much do you know about your mom's story? And yes, I do mean Regina."

Henry didn't hesitate, rattling off his information. "I know she's evil because she cursed everyone and tried to kill Snow White. She's the reason my mom didn't have a family."

H.G. felt her heart break a little for Regina when he didn't say anything else. _It's as if he doesn't care for her story at all. Oh, Henry._ "But what do you know about _why_ she did all those things?"

"Why?" Henry looked confused. "It's because she's-"

H.G. growled, making Henry take a step back. "People are not _born_ evil, Henry. Regina certainly wasn't or she wouldn't have saved Snow's life, would she?"

"That always did sound a little strange," Henry admitted. "But why would she try to kill Snow later? Maybe it was all part of a bigger plan?"

H.G. ignored Henry's attempt at making Regina's actions look evil somehow. "Do you remember the story about the stable boy?"

"Yes ... Daniel. He died." He couldn't have sounded less bothered if he'd whistled and shrugged.

H.G. closed her eyes in dismay. _The boy has no idea._ "Yes, he was killed by Regina's mother."

Henry nodded. "She ripped out his heart because she didn't want Regina to be with him."

"Henry, Cora killed the man Regina loved with all her heart in front of her because Snow couldn't keep a secret she had promised your mom she'd never tell. She was just a child and Cora tricked her, but Regina didn't know that."

Henry stared at her. "So, my m- Regina trusted Snow and then thought that Snow had betrayed her and that's why she hates her?" He shook his head. "But she married Snow's father and he was a good and kind king." He made it sound as if that was the only thing that mattered.

H.G. had trouble holding back a derisive snort. "Regina had to marry an older man she didn't love and who didn't love her. Regina was very unhappy for many years." She raised Henry's chin gently, so she could meet his eyes. "Can you imagine being unhappy for years and years without anybody caring about it or actually telling you that you have a great life? While the reason you're so miserable gets her happy ending?"

Henry bit his lip in much the same way his mother did when she was deep in thought. _Score one for nurture_, H.G. thought. "I'm not sure I can imagine that," he finally said. "But I definitely wouldn't try to kill Snow White."

"Why is Snow White's story so much more important to you than your mother's?"

"Because she's the heroine, of course, and my mom is simply the obstacle that stands in the way of her happy ending." Henry didn't even realize that he had called Regina his mom without correcting himself immediately. "That's the way stories work."

"And villains are usually not given as much space in the heroes' stories," H.G. stated. "Like in those action movies and comics you love so much. Makes the heroes look so much better, right?"

Henry nodded, still not really getting the point. "I guess that's true." He looked at H.G. "Why do _you_ care so much about my mom?"

"Because for a while she was my only friend and we understand each other." Helena smiled. "She was there for me when I needed a friend. We're a lot alike."

"But _you're_ not evil," Henry insisted. "You're always nice to everyone and you listened to me and didn't think I was crazy when I told you about the curse."

"You're right," H.G. agreed. "I certainly wouldn't call myself evil, but I've done some very, very bad things, and other people have called me evil. I've done things that make the Evil Queen look nice in comparison." Now she finally had his full attention and she hoped she'd be able to make good use of the opportunity.

"Remember when I told you I had a daughter?" Henry nodded. "She was murdered when she was a little younger than you are now." A sad smile settled upon her face. "I didn't have anywhere to go with my grief and so I became ruthless, relentless. I hunted the men who killed my daughter, and when I found them I killed them, slowly and painfully. And later, when that didn't make me feel better, I came up with a plan to destroy the whole world."

To his credit, Henry didn't run away, although H.G. had not expected him to. "And yet, you still _like_ me," she teased.

Henry blushed. Had he been _that_ obvious? "T-That's because it's not your fault," he tried to explain, fighting to get his blush under control, stammering only a little. "You were hurt."

H.G. gave him a sad smile. _Double standards ... how I hate them. _"As was your mother," she said quietly. "The difference between your mom and me is that my plan was so much worse than the curse she cast, and if it weren't for Myka, _none_ of us would be here now. Almost everyone on earth would be either dead or dying, and the whole planet would be in the early stages of a new ice age."

Henry swallowed, trying to match the image of H.G. in his head with this new information and with what she had said about his mother. "I need to think about that," he mumbled after a minute and walked over to the window, his back to her and the room, shoulders slumped.

The door opened and Regina poked her head through the gap, meeting H.G.'s eyes. "Come in," H.G. greeted her and the rest who filed into the room after Regina. Her eyebrows rose as she saw everyone. "I just gave Henry something to think about."

Then she sat down on the sofa and serenely finished her tea.

/|||\\\

Cora Mills was not a happy woman. Not generally, and especially not this morning. "Hook, you useless cretin," she bellowed across the deck of their ship. "Didn't I ask you to keep an eye on our guest?"

Hook crawled on deck, completely unconcerned. "Hey, it wasn't my magic the guy was bound with. Since, you know, I don't have any."

Cora growled. "Something must have happened to disrupt my magic," she thought aloud. "There was a disturbance last night, maybe that was it."

Hook stopped polishing his boots. "You mean that blue wave that rolled through here?"

"Explain yourself."

Hook shrugged. "I was up to get another drink when there was this blue wave moving through everything. It was only a second and then it was gone. Felt strange, though."

Cora remembered the feeling of being assaulted in her dreams during the night. "Must have been something the _good_ people of this world did. It felt disgustingly _joyous_." She spat the word out as if it had a bad aftertaste.

Hook looked out over the water, watching as Storybrooke slowly came to life in the early morning sun. "Doesn't his disappearance ruin your plan?"

Cora smirked. "I would have preferred him in our ... custody a while longer, yes," she said slowly. "But no matter, by now everyone will know what Regina did to the poor man and even if he shows up for breakfast now, they all will have been reminded of what she's capable of."

"Or what they were made to _think_ her capable of ..."

"Does it matter?"

"Not to me." Hook shrugged. "So when are we going to pay a visit to your darling daughter?"

Cora smiled evilly. "Soon, Hook, soon. And it's going to be glorious."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: The continuation of the chapter that wouldn't end. ;-) Thank you for all the reviews, faves, and follows - I really appreciate them. Let me know when you get bored with the story ... it seems my characters like talking more than anything else (very much unlike me) and I know that's not everyone's cup of tea. **

**Disclaimer: I really wish I owned them, but I don't.**

* * *

Archie knocked quietly on Snow's apartment door and was surprised when the door was almost ripped off its hinges as it was opened from inside.

"Oh, it's you," David mumbled, making room for Archie to enter. Then he paused, eyes widening comically. "Wait, it's _you_! How can that be?!" He stared at the vision in front of him.

Archie could easily read the feelings on David's face – wonder, confusion and then joy – as he was pulled inside the apartment.

"I'm sorry," David said as he kept staring at Archie. "I just _really_ didn't expect to see you."

"Oh?"

"You're dead," David explained. "Your body was found in your office." He raised the coffee pot in silent question and received a small nod in reply. "Regina killed you ... Well, we all _thought_ she killed you. Are you _sure_ you're alive?" He reached out and poked Archie's chest.

"Regina?" Archie looked dumbfounded. "Why would you think she'd kill me?" He took the offered cup of coffee and took a big gulp. After his escape he had gone home, not wanting to disturb anyone in the middle of the night. Plus, he had really needed a nap and a shower, and now he was glad for the coffee.

"Ruby said you'd had a fight, so we naturally thought she did it ... and then Emma saw her in Pongo's memories of the event." David shrugged, not really all that sorry about Regina's plight. "Okay, so she didn't do anything _this_ time," he added. "Where _were_ you then?"

"I was locked away on a ship out in the harbor," Archie replied. "The ship can't be seen from the harbor, even if you know where it is. It belongs to a pirate called Captain Hook, but he's not the one who kidnapped me. It was Regina's mother." He paused. "Ruby was right, though, about the fight Regina and I had-"

"See, we just made an honest mistake then," David interrupted genially. "Regina can't blame us for that."

Archie gave him a look. "I think she actually can, David, and she probably will. She was innocent and none of you believed her."

"She had it coming." David shrugged. "I wonder what her mother wants ... we should go ask her." He straightened. "I was on my way to the mansion anyway since my whole family seems to be there this morning."

Archie looked surprised, but decided to just go with it. He was so much better at watching and listening than he was at talking sometimes. _However ..._ "Did Emma believe that Regina killed me?"

David shook his head as he went to grab his coat. "Not at first ... She actually defended her until she saw Pongo's memories. After that she had no choice." He paused at the door. "Then suddenly last night she changed her mind again and was certain that Regina was innocent. She stayed at Regina's house to keep an eye on her just in case though."

"Good," was all Archie said with a small smile, sure that the reason Emma stayed with Regina had nothing much to do with _keeping an eye on her_. He knew better than to mention that to her father, though. He brushed past David on his way out. "That's good."

David shook his head, not sure he wanted to know what Archie was thinking. He grabbed his sword and, on second thought, an extra dagger.

Archie raised his eyebrow. "Don't you think that's a little ... belligerent for an early morning visit?"

David pulled the door close behind them. "We're going to Regina's house. You can be sure that I'm taking all the weapons I can lay my hands on."

/|||\\\

"Henry?" Emma asked quietly, softly touching his shoulder. By unspoken agreement, she was going to take the lead in talking to their son. Regina squeezed Emma's hand tighter, betraying her state of mind.

Henry slowly turned away from the window to face his mothers, his eyes instantly zeroing in on their interlaced fingers. Regina noticed the frown on his face and tried to pull her hand from Emma's grasp to appease him, but her lover only held on tighter. Regina wondered if Emma was as scared as she was.

"Can we talk to you, kid?" Emma continued when Henry stayed quiet. "About, you know ... what you saw upstairs ... and everything?"

Henry studied Emma's eyes. "Are you under a spell?" he finally asked. "Is that why you think you _like _her?"

Regina swallowed hard, but Emma's grip on her hand never wavered and she took strength from that. "Henry ..." she started, but she had no idea what to say.

"Henry." Emma's voice was stern. "I'm not under any kind of spell, okay?" She ran her free hand through his hair, willing him to understand. She met his eyes straight on. "Your mom and I ... we love each other," she said slowly, "and what you saw upstairs was ... was ..." She hesitated. _I'm so not ready to have this talk._

Regina took pity on her. "Henry, what you saw this morning was Emma and me expressing ... our feelings for each other," she stated with a soft smile. "You shouldn't have seen that, and I'm truly sorry you did, but it really is nothing bad or evil ... it's-"

"-a beautiful thing," Emma finished for her.

Henry shook his head. "But you can't love Emma," he whined. "You don't have a heart and you're-"

"I swear to God if you call your mom evil one more time ..." Emma left the threat hanging.

H.G. and Myka nodded approvingly. "I thought we'd just talked about that, Henry," H.G. said from her spot on the sofa. "Why don't you take a deep breath and really listen to your moms?"

Snow glared at H.G. "Why don't _you_ stay out of this? This is none of your business," she demanded. "Henry is right, Regina doesn't have a heart, probably quite literally. Thinking they're in love is ..." She stopped and shook her head. "Emma, sweetie ... what's really going on here? You can tell us ... we can help you."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Snow, I'm in love with Regina and she's in love with me," she explained as if to a five-year-old. "That's the _only_ thing that's going on here." _Well, almost ..._ She turned to Henry. "Your mom does have a heart, a really beautiful one actually, and I still have my heart." She let go of Regina and kneeled down in front of Henry, putting both her hands on his shoulders. "I know this is hard for you, but can't you give this ... us a chance? For me?"

Henry's eyes wandered from Emma to Regina and back. "But it doesn't make sense!" he suddenly shouted. "You're the Savior and she's the Evil Queen, and that's not how the story goes."

Myka saw the disappointed looks on Regina's and Emma's faces. "Henry, does the story have an ending in that book of yours? What does it say happens?"

"It says that the Savior ends the curse and that everyone gets their happy endings back." He looked at Emma. "Which means that you can now find your prince and true love and be happy ever after." He beamed at her.

"And your mother?" H.G. asked quietly.

"I don't know," Henry admitted. "Her story ends when the curse breaks."

"No, it doesn't," Emma said forcefully. "Because your mom is my true love and my happy ending."

"But-"

"No buts, Henry," she interrupted his protest. "And definitely no prince. I. Love. Your. Mom." She emphasized every single word, hoping he would finally get the point.

"You're just saying that because she controls you." Henry mumbled, not to be dissuaded. He pointed his finger at Regina. "You took her heart and she's just scared you'd kill her or something. That's why she says all these things." He started to cry. "You have to give it back. Please? For me?"

Regina felt tears running down her cheeks. "Oh, Henry." Her voice was thick as she knelt down on one knee next to Emma. "I'm so, so sorry," she said, reaching out but not quite touching him, afraid he would flinch, and not convinced she could survive yet another rejection.

"She can't give it back," Emma told him gently. "She doesn't have it." She looked at Regina and gave her a half-smile. "At least not literally." She took Henry's hand and put it on her chest. "Here, do you feel that? That's my heart, beating safely in my chest." She moved his hand to Regina's chest. "And that's your mom's heart, right where it belongs."

Henry raised his free hand and pressed it against Emma's chest, feeling both heartbeats under his hands. It felt reassuring and _maybe_ he had been wrong. He looked at his mothers and saw them nod and smile. "That can't be right," he muttered. "But maybe ..." He paused. "But that would mean ..." He was just thinking aloud now, trying to work through his feelings.

Snow snorted from next to Henry. "It could just be an illusion, Henry," she said. "The magic that allows Regina to take hearts also hides that fact from other people."

"Oh my God!" H.G. exclaimed. "How can you-"

"Snow!" Emma yelled at the same time. "We were just making some progress." Her eyes filled with tears. "Why can't you be just a little happy for me?"

Myka shook her head, deciding to burn all her fairytale books as soon as she got home. _Well, maybe not the Oscar Wilde ... _She looked at Snow. "You have to be one of the most inaccurately portrayed characters in literature," she finally managed to get out through her rage on her friends' behalf. "Because from what I've seen so far, there's nothing fair and good about you."

Snow sputtered. "How dare you? I'm just trying to protect my family!"

Steve leaned against the wall by the door, watching Snow and Myka argue, while nursing his second cup of coffee. He had a really weird feeling about Snow, which was surprising considering she was supposedly one of the good guys here, and he could see that Myka had a _real_ problem with the other woman. _I wonder how long it takes for them to come to blows. _He decided to take precautions and slipped out of the room, closing it behind him, unnoticed by anyone.

Emma and Regina looked at each other helplessly until Emma raised an eyebrow in question and Regina nodded with a sigh. _Desperate times demand desperate measures. _Unable to bear the sad look in Regina's eyes, Emma pulled her in for a sweet, reassuring kiss, tasting the mixed salt of their tears. "I love you," she whispered, forehead pressed against Regina's. Regina nodded, unable to speak.

When Emma leaned away from Regina she realized that everyone stared at them with varying expressions on their faces. _So that's how you shut everyone up_, she thought with a wicked little grin. H.G. and Myka smiled at them, and she reminded herself to hug them both after this was all over for being such good friends to Regina, and now to her as well. Snow and Henry looked shocked and, in Snow's case, a little disgusted. She saw Snow opening her mouth and stopped her.

"Don't say a word or you're going to regret it," Emma said in a low, dangerous voice that sent a wonderful shiver down Regina's spine. Snow closed her mouth with a snap.

Emma turned to Henry. "Would it help you if we showed you that we both still have our hearts?"

Henry stared at her with wide eyes. "What ... how? That's impossible." But he knew it wasn't, he just wasn't really sure he wanted to know how they'd do it.

"Everyone keeps throwing around that word like it's going out of style," Emma heard H.G. mutter from the sofa. "For people with magic you most certainly are narrow-minded."

Emma couldn't help but grin, but her face turned serious again when she faced Henry. "Would it help you?" she asked again. When Henry nodded hesitantly, she continued. "I know this is going to look gross, but it really doesn't hurt me or your mom, okay?" He nodded again.

Emma and Regina stood and faced each other. "You first," Regina muttered sub-vocally. "Or your mother is going to kill me."

Emma nodded as she slowly reached out toward Regina's chest. Everyone in the room watched her, jaws open, eyes fixed on her hand. She swallowed, feeling a weird kind of performance anxiety. _Please work, please work, please work. _

Nothing existed in the world but the two of them as her hand slowly disappeared into Regina's chest. Only then did Regina reach out, just as gently and carefully as Emma had, pressing her hand into her lover's chest. They both gasped slightly at the now-familiar feeling of love and warmth that surrounded their hearts. Their eyes met, communicating silently, and as if on command, they both pulled their hands back out, hearts in a careful, tender grasp.

Henry looked like he was in shock. He wanted to tear his eyes away, but couldn't. He had known from his book that the Evil Queen could tear out hearts, but he had always imagined it more brutal than this. This looked almost ... like a caress. And he had no idea how Emma was able to do this. She had to have more magic than anyone knew.

Snow stared in horror as Regina's hand vanished in Emma's chest. She reached out to stop her, but was held back in the strong grip of Myka and H.G. "Let me go," she pleaded with the two women.

"Trust your daughter," Myka said, not as unkindly as she was feeling toward Snow. "She knows what she's doing." _At least I hope she does._

"It's going to be all right," H.G. added. "You see, Snow, they truly are in love." She pointed at Emma and Regina with her free hand. "I dare you to look at their hearts and tell me you don't see that."

So Snow looked, and what she saw took her breath away. Even Myka and H.G. gasped at the sight.

Emma and Regina held their hearts in the space between their bodies cradled gently in the palms of their hands. _That_ sight alone was awe-inspiring, but what made Snow and the others stare was the fact that both hearts looked absolutely identical and were both covered in a soft, blueish glow as they lay in their hands, beating in sync.

"Wow," H.G. breathed. She loosened her grip on Snow's arm, but the other woman didn't move. "Would you look at that ..."

"I've never seen anything like this," Regina whispered for Emma's ears only.

"It's like they're exactly the same," Emma replied, voice filled with awe. "And our connection is visible, see." She pointed to the blue tether between the hearts, connecting them, binding the hearts together visibly, now that they were this close together.

"No wonder I feel this pull toward you all the time now," Regina said with a small grin. "I never stood a chance."

"Lucky me," Emma commented. "I don't want to be away from you either."

Henry stared at his mothers' hearts, trying to wrap his head around the fact that not only did they both indeed have them, but also that they seemed to have some sort connection. he didn't fully understand what he was seeing, but if he _could_ actually see that, they must have spoken the truth, right? "Mom ... moms," he whispered. "It's true then? You really love each other?"

Regina gently transferred Emma's heart from her own palm to Emma's free hand and focused on her son. "It really is true, Henry," she said. She wanted so much to hold him, but didn't dare to yet. "I love Emma and she loves me," she continued, "and we both love you very much."

Henry pointed toward the hearts beating side by side in the cradled formed by Emma's hands. "Does that mean you're good now? Did Emma banish the evil from your heart?"

Emma smiled at the way their son's mind worked. "Whatever your mom is, kid – good, evil, or something in between – it's just like me, as you can see. We _all_ have both sides." She saw Regina watching Henry with such an open, yearning expression that it made her heart clench painfully in her palm. She met Henry's eyes and motioned toward Regina.

Henry caught the clue and wrapped his arms around his mother in a tight hug. "I'm sorry, mom," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you." He felt Regina squeeze him tight enough to hurt a little at the words, but he didn't mind. He pulled away with a cheeky grin and pointed to their hearts. "That was awesome, though."

Emma and Regina laughed and the tension in the room relaxed palpably. Snow still couldn't tear her eyes away from the faintly glowing hearts, which were trying to force her to believe in the impossible. Myka had a wide smile on her face as she held her hand out to H.G. who took it with a happy little sigh.

"No matter how awesome it was, young man," H.G. said after a moment. "I think it would be safer if your moms put their hearts back where they belong."

Snow nodded frantically, coming out of her trance-like state. "Yes, please, put them away."

Henry actually looked a little disappointed, but he didn't want to risk hurting his mothers. _Still ..._ "Can I touch them?" he asked, looking from Emma to Regina and back. "Just once?"

Regina met Emma's eyes and nodded. "Please be careful, kid," Emma said as she held her hands out to him.

"Which one is yours, mom?" He looked at Regina whose eyes filled with happy tears at being addressed this way. She pointed at her heart and Henry gently put his hand on top of it. He closed his eyes as he felt a rush of warmth fill his whole body. "Woah," he whispered, not daring to speak any louder than that.

Regina turned to Emma. "He sounds like you, dear," she commented dryly.

"Seems you bring it out in us," Emma countered, trying hard not to blush at the thought of what exactly had her saying that word last time. She watched as Henry switched to her own heart and was happy when he showed the same reaction.

"Do you see now, kid?" she asked once Henry had removed his hands a safe distance from the hearts.

Henry nodded, still a little in awe at the certainty that had filled him from that simple touch. His mothers loved him and they loved each other. "Yes," he finally replied with a happy smile. "I see."

Emma met Regina's eyes. "Okay, let's put these back-"

Suddenly, the door was thrown open forcefully, crashing into the wall with a loud bang, revealing David, sword drawn, followed more sedately by Archie. "What's going on here?" David yelled. "Get away from my daughter!"

He stormed toward Regina, sword raised menacingly over his head.

"David, no!" Snow yelled.

Emma jumped at the noise of the sudden entrance, losing her grip on the hearts still nestled in her hands. She panicked and for a frightening second the hearts were sailing through the air, tumbling and turning until they both landed back in her cupped hands, nestled together, beating frantically. Regina missed the fumble, eyes focused on the weapon heading her way, but turned her head at Emma's sharp inhale.

"Grandpa, stop!" Henry sounded scared. "Please, stop!"

"Everything's fine, David," Snow added, almost tackling him and bodily pulling him away from Emma and Regina. "Everything's okay."

"But ... hearts ..." David sounded disturbed. "What the hell is going on here?"

Snow kept holding David back, but she patted his arm with one hand. "I promise we'll explain everything once Emma and Regina _finally_ put those back where they belong."

"Agreed," Regina said, for once not minding Snow so much.

Emma handed her heart to Regina with a smile. "I know this isn't exactly romantic," she whispered close to Regina's ear, "but I'm literally giving you my heart right now." She couldn't help but feel a little emotional and her voice betrayed her awe. "And you're giving me yours."

"You're a sap, Ms. Swan," Regina replied, voice deceptively rough. At Emma's raised eyebrow, she relented with a brilliant smile. "My heart has been yours for quite some time now."

Emma looked deeply into Regina's eyes as she raised her hand toward Regina's chest. "Remind me to kiss you when we don't have an audience, 'kay?" Regina nodded and raised her own hand. "Together?"

"Together."

Simultaneously, they pushed the hearts back into their chests and pulled out their hands.

For a second, nothing happened. Regina and Emma reached out, lacing their hands together, still smiling. Then suddenly, as soon as the hearts were settled, Emma was engulfed in pain so intense that it drove her to her knees, eyes shut tightly against the images assaulting her mind. She lost touch with Regina, which scared her no end.

Emma heard a loud, pained howl, not realizing it was her own. Then her name was screamed hoarsely from somewhere next to her. "Regina," she croaked, blindly reaching out to the other woman. She found one of Regina's hands and grasped it tightly. "Regina ..."

Then the world went blissfully, peacefully black.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Thank you all for your kind reviews, faves and follows, and also for all the messages calling me evil for ending the last chapter the way I did. ;-) ****I apologize for the evil cliffhanger and I hope this chapter makes up for it.**  
**Disclaimer: Still not mine, unfortunately. No profit is being made, but I ****_am_**** having fun with the characters.**

* * *

Emma woke up slowly, feeling pretty normal and with no idea how much time had passed. She seemed to be lying on something soft, warm, and very comfortable. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the bright light while trying to figure out where she was and what was going on.

_Ah, Regina's bedroom._ She rotated her head up a little and fell right into the warm concern coming from a pair of dark eyes very close to her own. _That makes sense_, she thought as the rest of her body began to send signals regarding their location. Her warm and comfortable resting place was part bed and part Regina's body, and she was snuggled comfortably into the other woman's side.

She also now registered the hand running lightly through strands of her hair – the thought _at least she still loves me_ came unbidden to Emma's mind, _no matter what went wrong downstairs_ – as she stretched her neck a little to get even closer to Regina, just far enough to be able to press a sweet kiss to her lips.

"Hey," she whispered a number of heartbeats later. _Heartbeats ..._ "What the hell happened to us?" Her voice sounded rough, and not just from sleep or unconsciousness.

Regina's face clouded over. "Your bumbling idiot of a father happened, dear." At Emma's steady gaze, she continued. "Unfortunately, his rather obnoxious entrance startled you and our hearts got switched."

Emma thought back to the moment and nodded. It was entirely possible. Then she remembered what she had said to Regina right before the ... accident. "So you _literally_ have my heart now?" she asked with a small grin. "Now _that's_ love." But her mood quickly sobered as more memories from the moment before she blacked out came back. She sat up and leaned against the headboard, giving Regina a long sideways look. "How on earth are you still alive and sane? How are you not absolutely fucking batshit crazy?"

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Your mother and countless others would argue that I am, in fact, exactly that." She sat up next to Emma. "You know the things I did to survive, to try and keep my sanity. That life turned me evil, but not entirely crazy."

"God, you had such a sucky life, didn't you?" Knowing that something happened and _feeling_ it yourself, every painful second, were two very different things and Emma realized that she would be having a hard time judging Regina in the future. She also had to repress the urge to hit her own mother and kill Regina's.

"Why did I get knocked out? What happened with you? Are you okay?" Emma tried not to think about the experiences Regina might have felt from her heart. A lot of them were unpleasant, although not on the scale that Regina's had felt. Or maybe it was time that was the difference. Her own wounds had scabbed over in her memories, some were even almost healed, while others were still pretty painful; but she had felt Regina's pain as if it had just happened, undiluted and raw.

Regina took Emma's hand, interlacing their fingers, feeling that the younger woman needed to be grounded, and maybe she needed it as well. "I'm fine, Emma," she said softly. "We're both fine now." She squeezed Emma's hand. "When we switched hearts, we were each hit by a lifetime of memories and experiences, and our bodies just couldn't cope with that in such a short span of time. I would assume that blacking out was somewhat of a safety measure by our brains."

"You blacked out, too?"

There were tears in Regina's eyes as she nodded. "Your life was no picnic either, dear," she replied softly. "And getting hit by it all, knowing _I_ was the cause of most of it ... Gods ... I'm so, so sorry, Emma ..."

Emma wiped at Regina's tears with her free hand. "I think I heard you scream," she mumbled.

Regina nodded. "I did scream." She hesitated. "So did you," she added after a few moments, although the inhuman noise Emma had made had been so much harder to bear than just a scream.

"That would explain why my throat feels the way it does." Emma looked down at their linked fingers. "There was all this pain ... and I was so worried about you. I couldn't seem to open my eyes and I didn't know what was going on and I was _so_ fucking scared. I was glad when I blacked out, I think."

The last part was almost swallowed in a low whisper, and Regina realized how hard it was for Emma to admit to feeling this way. "Emma," she coaxed the younger woman to meet her eyes again. "You were hit by a lifetime of pain in the span of a few heartbeats," she said earnestly. "You had every right to feel the way you did. The way we did." She had been scared out of her mind as well, knowing straight away what had happened. But the feelings – Emma's feelings and memories – had been so overwhelming that she had no choice but to succumb to them. She had hoped Henry hadn't suffered from watching them like that.

Obviously, Emma had the same thought as she suddenly sat up straight. "Where's Henry?" Her voice still sounded like sandpaper, so Regina reached out with one finger and ran it up her throat once, leaving behind nothing but a soothing coolness.

"Henry is downstairs with his grandparents," a voice replied from the corner of the room next to the bed. Emma swiveled around, hand at her throat, and spotted Helena and Myka standing there.

"He's trying to calm them down and Steve and Archie are trying to keep them from storming your bedroom," Myka explained.

"Again." H.G.'s voice was bone-dry.

"So Henry's okay?" Emma just had to be sure.

H.G. and Myka walked over to the bed, both nodding. "He's absolutely fine," H.G. said reassuringly.

"He's taking the whole thing better than anybody else," Myka added. "Ever since he touched your hearts, he's suddenly all excited about your _true love_. I think he was the first to figure out what happened with your hearts and he's been trying to keep Snow and her Prince calm ever since."

"Without much success, I might add," H.G. said. "Has anyone ever mentioned that your parents are both utter ... drama queens? I think that was the term Steve used. Especially your father."

Myka nodded, Regina and Emma chuckled. "They are ... he is," Emma admitted. "I think I need to have a word with him."

"You might want to leave that for when this is all over," H.G. said with a grin. "Right now his manly pride is wounded and he might not be too receptive."

Emma saw Myka blush. "His pride? What happened?"

Myka reddened a bit more. "He was threatening to grab you and leave, and we couldn't let that happen, so Helena got in his way."

H.G. shrugged. "What was I supposed to do? Let him separate you from Regina?"

"Then what?" Regina's voice held a hint of amusement. "Did you kenpo him into submission?"

H.G. laughed and shook her head. "That idiot threatened me with his sword, so Myka took it off him in about three seconds."

"A fire iron was plenty to disarm him." Myka blushed harder. "His technique is dreadful," she muttered, "so it wasn't really a problem_._" She held up Charming's shiny sword, resting it on her shoulder. "Don't fairytale princes learn how to use a sword very early in life?"

"Well, he _is_ really just a shepherd ..." Regina snickered, then started to laugh. _Damn, I'm sorry I missed that._

Emma couldn't help herself. She joined in the laughter, imagining her father being disarmed by Myka with nothing but a fire iron. "Serves him right," she got out after a few moments. "God, I needed that," she added once the laughter had fully subsided. "Thank you, Myka."

Myka smirked. "It was my pleasure," she said with a wink. "He was just lucky Steve didn't tesla him the second he raised his sword ... that would have hurt more than just his pride."

"Tesla?" Emma asked.

"It's what we use instead of guns most of the time," Myka explained. "Or all the time in Helena's and Claudia's case. It's a bit like a really, really powerful taser, and it knocks people out for a good long while."

"The best thing is they usually can't even remember later," H.G. added.

"Where can I get one of those?" Emma asked eagerly. "They sound incredibly useful."

"Sorry, strictly for Warehouse agents," Myka said. "But since Helena knew the inventor, maybe you can talk her into making something similar for you. I'm sure she and Claudia can cobble something together." She leaned closer and mock-whispered. "They're good at doing that, especially when they're not supposed to."

H.G. nodded. "Or I could just ask Nikola to invent something even better," she mumbled absent-mindedly.

Myka whirled around. "Excuse me?" she gasped. "Are you saying that Nikola Tesla is still alive?"

"Who is this Tesla guy?" Emma asked, receiving a strange look from the other three.

"Nikola was one of the most important inventors of the 19th century," H.G. explained. "And yes, I would assume he's still alive considering he's a vampire."

"He's a vampire?" Emma wasn't sure she liked that idea. "Vampires are real?"

"Are you really surprised with everything that you've learned so far?" Regina asked gently. "Ruby is a werewolf, after all, so why wouldn't there be vampires?"

"At least one of them ..." H.G. interrupted. "I'm sure we can come up with something, even without Nikola. Anyway ..." She nodded at Myka.

"Right," Myka agreed. "So, your parents are freaked out, Henry and Archie are calming them down, Steve is keeping an eye on everyone, and we're up here, keeping an eye on you," she recapped. "At least that's what we told them. Basically, we just wanted some peace and quiet."

Regina smiled at her. "Thank you for that," she said. "And thank you for making sure that Emma was safe."

"You're welcome." Myka smiled brightly.

Emma cleared her throat. "Could you two maybe ..." She really wanted ... needed some time alone with Regina, but didn't know how to ask without sounding rude.

H.G. picked up on that easily. "Maybe Myka and I should go downstairs and let everyone know that you're alright and awake?" she asked rhetorically.

Emma gave her a grateful smile. "That would be great, thanks." She looked at Regina who met her gaze openly, and Emma wondered if she imagined the fire in the dark eyes. "Please let them know we'll be down in ... a little while."

H.G. raised an eyebrow and Myka smiled knowingly. "Don't worry," Myka said. "Just don't take _too_ long," she added. "I don't really want to have to use this against your parents." She raised the sword from her shoulder for a moment before turning on her heels and walking towards the door with H.G.

Emma's voice reached them just as they opened the door. "You _do_ have my permission to hit them with that Tesla thing, though."

Myka and H.G. chuckled as they closed the door behind them, plunging the room into a comfortable silence.

/|||\\\

Henry rolled his eyes, his expression a copy of Regina's best long-suffering look. _Why were grown-ups always so ... weird?_ His grandparents were arguing, with each other and even more with Dr. Hopper and that Steve guy. Snow and David demanded to see Emma and while he wanted to see her too – and his mom as well, he had to admit – he just knew they would be okay. He was also pretty sure they needed some rest after what had happened.

"You will let me see my daughter right now," Snow threatened Steve, who was conveniently blocking the door.

"Or what?" Steve asked, calling her bluff.

Snow balled her hands into fists until her knuckles were white and growled. David pulled her back with Archie's help. "Listen, we just want to know that they're okay," David addressed Steve next, trying to sound at least a little friendlier than his wife.

"They're okay," Steve replied. "Can't you just give them some time to recover?"

Snow had started to pace around the room like a caged tiger. "I knew Regina would hurt my baby," she muttered. "I knew she did something to her. This is all her fault."

Archie and Henry exchanged a worried look. Henry had explained what had happened, but it seemed like Snow hadn't listened, or had refused to believe. "Snow," Archie approached her carefully. "This is not Regina's fault. It was an accident, it wasn't anybody's fault."

"Well, actually ..." Steve piped up, but was stopped by a glare from Archie. Steve shrugged with a grin.

"Grandma, they're going to be okay," Henry explained again. "They just need some time to wake up."

"And talk probably," Archie added. "Give them the time, Snow."

David was quiet. He was torn between his desire to run upstairs, grab his daughter and remove her as far away from Regina as he could, and knowing that the current situation was an immediate consequence of his actions. He just couldn't think straight where his Emma was concerned. She was his daughter and he needed to protect her, even if she thought she didn't need it.

He remembered the moment when Emma and Regina had collapsed in agony, and the moment before. The looks, the feelings ... he all recognized it, no matter how much he wanted to refuse to accept it. There was love there, and he had no doubt that if he and Snow tried to get between Emma and her love, they would lose, and he wasn't willing to let that happen.

David pulled Snow into his arms. "Snow, listen to me," he urged. "You've seen it, we've all seen it. Emma loves Regina and there's nothing we can do about it. I don't like it either, but if you try and break them up we're going to lose Emma. You don't want that, do you?"

Snow shook her head agains his chest. "I can't believe this is happening," she said. "Why her? Why Regina?"

"Because it's true love," Henry said easily. "I should have seen it much earlier ... it's the perfect ending: the White Knight saves the Evil Queen."

Archie studied Henry's face. "And you're okay with that?" he asked. "You spent a lot of time being angry at your mom, and up until just a little while ago you wanted nothing to do with her."

Henry let out an aggravated sigh. "Because I didn't understand," he explained. "I didn't _know_ ... I thought she didn't love me, but she does. They both do, and they love each other." He looked at his grandparents. "Their hearts can't lie."

Snow didn't reply, her thoughts in turmoil, trying to come to terms with this development, but David nodded at Henry, letting him know that he got it. Henry breathed out in relief and went over to hug his grandparents. "It's all going to be okay," he said, more to Snow than David, and he heard Snow sob quietly in response. _Grown-ups were weird._

The door opened and Myka and H.G. entered, surveying the room with one sweeping glance. Myka saw Steve nod reassuringly and relaxed. "Emma and Regina are okay," she said, addressing mostly Henry and the grandparents he was hugging. Immediately, their group hug ended and all started walking to the door.

H.G. stopped them. "They need a little time to talk," she explained. "They will come down when they're ready." She saw Snow was about to protest. "Please give them a moment," she stopped the smaller woman in her tracks. "They _need_ it."

Something in her voice apparently got through to Snow, who nodded and sat down on the sofa, pulling David along.

"They're really okay? Both of them?" Henry asked H.G. quietly, and she was happy at the concern in his voice for both his mothers.

"They really are okay," she told him, crouching down to meet his eyes. "Now, why don't we sit over there and you tell me everything that happened since the last time I saw you, and then maybe I'll tell you about my time machine."

Henry nodded enthusiastically.

/|||\\\

Regina searched Emma's eyes. "Should we talk about what we saw ... experienced?" she asked after a long moment of silence, her voice holding a slight tinge of insecurity.

Emma sat up and turned, straddling Regina's legs. She pulled Regina closer and wrapped her arms around her. "We'll talk about it," she murmured into dark hair. "Later. Some other day. Today has been tough enough."

Regina nodded. "I'm terrified and relieved at the same time," she admitted, speaking into Emma's neck.

"Why?"

"I'm relieved that there are no more secrets between us now," Regina explained. "There's nothing hidden any more that can come out and hurt you or me. No lies to get tangled up in."

"Then why are you scared?" Emma pulled back a little to look at Regina's face.

"Because there are no more secrets now." Regina closed her eyes, unwilling to face Emma. "You know everything I've done, every evil deed, every atrocity ... and I'm terrified that you ... you know too much about me now to ..." She stopped.

"Look at me," Emma coaxed, cupping her face and tilting it up. She waited until Regina opened her eyes. "Yes, I know everything now," she continued. "But I also understand much better why you did the things you did. I'm not saying I understand all of what you did, which is why we'll talk about them, but I love you, and I will keep on loving you."

Regina sobbed softly and clung to Emma as tightly as she could. Relief flooded her system and burst forth from her in tears and uneven breaths. Emma held her in a safe embrace, whispering reassurances and promising forever. After a few minutes, Regina's breathing slowed and her tears stopped. "Thank you," she mumbled, sounding a little embarrassed about her breakdown.

"Nothing to thank me for," Emma replied gently. "It's my privilege to hold you when you're feeling bad. It says so in the girlfriend handbook."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "The girlfriend handbook?" she asked. "Are you making these things up as we go along, dear?"

"How did you know?" Emma grinned from ear to ear. "Someone should write a guide for couples like us. How about we call it Loving an Evil Queen: A guide for White Knights?"

Regina laughed, the tears forgotten for the moment. "A guide for couples like us? If you say so, dear ... I'm sure there's a niche market for that."

"A very tiny, very specific niche," Emma conceded. "Now, I seem to remember I promised you a kiss without an audience."

Regina pretended to try and remember what Emma was talking about. "Hmm, I believe you said something to that effect, yes. And look, we're all alone."

"Yes, we are," Emma replied huskily as she leaned in, pulling Regina closer at the same time. The kiss started out softly, a mere whispering of lips against lips, mouths moving this way and that, never stopping, always moving against each other. Emma's tongue darted out to gently trace Regina's lips, following the contours, lingering on the scar on her upper lip, tenderly coaxing the lips apart. Their tongues touched and electrified their bodies and minds.

Suddenly, their kiss was wet and fierce, deep and probing, bringing out moans and producing shivers. They kissed hungrily for long minutes, clutching at clothes, trying to get closer, hands wrapped in hair, in fabric, curled around buttons, almost but not quite hard enough to rend the cloth beneath their fingers.

When they parted for air, untold minutes later, they both had a wild look in their eyes. Emma's shirt – Regina's, actually – hung open over her tanktop, and Regina's shirt hung from one shoulder, revealing the black lacy bra beneath. Regina reached out, hand trembling from the attempt to hold back, to not give in to her desire to just rip the clothes completely off Emma's body. Emma's hand met hers in the middle and their palms pressed together, hard, as their fingers linked, simultaneously giving strength and sharpening their desire.

Emma swallowed. "I want you," she declared hoarsely. "I want you so damn much, Regina."

Regina pulled their linked hands to her mouth and kissed Emma's fingers, her tongue leaving a soft trail of almost there wetness on them. "I know," she replied simply, voice low and rough. "I want you, too. So much. I think our hearts are making our need to be close even more intense. I can barely think, but ..."

Emma felt the words all the way through her body, settling in the pit of her stomach, igniting a fire, but she also felt the part Regina had left unsaid. "But we don't have time?" Her voice expressed her hope that she was wrong about that.

"Everyone's waiting for us," Regina reminded her, but her eyes kept on tracing Emma's face and torso, her hands trembling, itching to touch. "You heard Snow."

"I don't care," Emma replied, and in that moment she really didn't. "I don't want to be a responsible adult right now. I want to make love to you." Her lower lip stuck out a little.

Despite agreeing with Emma on that, Regina smiled fondly at the sight. "Are you actually pouting, dear?" She couldn't help the teasing note in her voice. It did lessen the sexual tension between them, at least to a small degree.

Emma rolled over and plopped down on her back next to Regina. "I don't pout," Emma scowled.

"Henry looks just like you when he does that," Regina said softly as she pushed herself up on one elbow and leaned over Emma. "You're so ... adorable."

"Will adorable allow me to touch you?" Emma asked, leaning up and stealing a short, fierce kiss from Regina's lips.

Regina laughed. "I'm not sure." She smiled into another kiss. Emma was incredibly difficult to resist, even more so when she was like this, all adorable and desirable, and so, so hungry for her that she could almost taste the want. In that moment Regina decided to stop pushing for maturity and responsible behavior. "It will definitely get you a shower," she added with a smile.

Emma growled as she pushed herself against Regina, kissing her with all that she had. "Together, you mean?" she asked breathlessly a moment later. "The shower?"

When Regina nodded, Emma jumped out of bed and began to tear her clothes off, while Regina leaned back on her elbows to watch the show. "Are you coming?" Emma asked as she fought the urge to hide her naked body, feeling oddly on display in front of a still dressed Regina.

_Soon enough_ , Regina thought with a smirk, but she got up and started to undress leisurely. Emma's hands stopped her, taking over the task with gentle efficiency. In seconds, they were both naked and in each other's arms. Emma's eyes fell on the place where her heart was beating in Regina's chest. She could almost imagine seeing it.

"I can't believe my heart is in there," she whispered reverently, tracing a fingertip over the skin and bones that hid the organ. "Should we switch them back now?" she asked after a few moments, sounding oddly reluctant.

Regina tensed. "If my mother comes after you, and she _will_ once she realizes who you are to me, which will only take her about a second when she sees us together ... she-" Her rambling was stopped by a fingertip across her lips. "What?" she mumbled against the finger.

Emma smiled gently. "Your mother can't hurt me."

Regina snorted. "Not if I can do anything about it, that's for sure." Her eyes pleaded with Emma to listen. "But she will try, and since her preferred method is ripping out the hearts of the people I love, she'll go for yours in a heartbeat." She winced. "And I'd much rather she crush my heart than yours ..."

Emma cupped Regina's face in her hands. "Regina, I'm serious," she insisted. "Cora can't take my heart."

"What?"

"She tried, back in ... the other place," Emma explained. "One second she had her hand in my chest and the next I repelled her somehow ... there was this rush of power and then she got pushed back."

Regina looked stunned and a little bit in awe. "Your magic," she breathed. "Your magic is stronger than hers."

Emma nodded. "And with our magic bound together now, I'd guess both our hearts are pretty damn safe." She smiled softly. "At least I hope so, and that's how we're going to beat your mother."

"We are?"

"We are. Your mother has no idea what she's up against. She probably thinks that you're standing alone, and I want to see the look on her face when she realizes that you're not, and that she doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell against our magic." Emma sounded convincing even to her own ears, but for once she actually, truly believed in herself. And in Regina. "We will beat her," she stated again. "As long as we stay together. Okay?"

Regina swallowed. "Okay." _Maybe Emma's right, maybe we can really win._ She put her hand on Emma's chest. "Let's put these back," she said, patting the space above the heart.

Emma sighed. "Is it weird that I don't really want to?"

Regina gaped at her. "You can't mean that," she protested. "My heart is ... you can't want ..."

"Your heart is beautiful," Emma stated simply. "And it's exactly the same as mine. What difference does it make, Regina?" She shrugged a little. "We couldn't even tell them apart earlier, so you can't tell me it matters ... and I love the thought of keeping you so close to me." She pressed her forehead against Regina's. "Let me make you a deal."

"No deals." Regina growled.

"It's a good deal."

"No. Deals." This time Regina's voice really left no room for arguments.

Emma stole a kiss and grinned. "Okay, then let me make you a promise," she amended. "I swear you get your heart back when you don't want me anymore."

Regina pulled back and stared at Emma, who was watching her evenly. "What about you?" she croaked. "When do you get yours back?"

Emma smiled serenely. "Never. It's gone for good."

"So is mine," Regina replied sweetly as she nodded. "Alright, you get your wish. I'll keep your heart and you'll keep mine." She smirked evilly. "Of course that means we're married now."

Emma's eyes widened. "Are you serious?" she exclaimed. "We're married?" To Regina's surprise she sounded more excited than disturbed.

"No, we're _not_ married," Regina explained._ Yet._ "I was kidding ... but I have to admit this does feel more intimate than any wedding ceremony I've ever been witness to."

"Oh."

"You sound ... disappointed."

Emma looked away, trying hard not to let Regina see the expression in her eyes. She knew they would give away her thoughts in an instant.

"Emma, please look at me." Regina gently turned her lover's head to face her. "What are you thinking?"

Green eyes opened reluctantly and Regina felt the look in them through her whole body. "I'm thinking ..." Emma stopped.

"Yes?"

"I'm going to want that one day," Emma continued. "I couldn't feel any closer to you than I'm feeling right now, but ... for the first time in my life I really want to be _with_ someone, not run away as fast as I can. I want you to know that I'll never run." She hesitated. "And I sort of need to know-"

"That I won't run either?"

Emma nodded.

"I promise I won't leave you, Emma," Regina declared, her voice firm. "Not if I can help it." She kissed Emma's forehead and decided to lighten the mood. "If you want to marry me, however, you'll have to come up with a better proposal."

"Thank you." Emma remained serious. "Believe me, I will. You won't know what hit you!" she added with a grin before pulling Regina into a heart-stopping kiss that went on and on until they were both breathless and hardly able to stand.

"Shower now?" Emma asked once they had parted.

There were footsteps in the hallway and Regina sighed. "Shower now... but I'm afraid we'll have to make it a fast one," she said quickly. "Before whoever is out there decides to barge in here."

Emma groaned as Regina dragged her into the en-suite. _So much for shower sex_, she thought with a pout. _Somebody's gotta pay for this._

But just five minutes later she was smiling again as she found out that having your hair washed lovingly by a former Evil Queen was almost as good as shower sex.

_Almost._


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N 1: Thank you for all your reviews, faves and follows. You're helping to keep me focused on a relatively tight update schedule and on finishing this story.**

**A/N 2: This chapter is a bit of an interlude. Hope you enjoy it anyway. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own WH13 or OUaT. Unfortunately. I'm just borrowing the characters for some fun and promise to bring them back mostly unharmed.**

* * *

"Are you sure this is where we need to go?" Pete asked for the tenth time in the past hour, taking his eyes off the winding road to look at Claudia, who was busy with her laptop.

"Totally," Claudia replied absent-mindedly. "Well, sort of ... Maybe not?" She grimaced.

"In other words, we're lost?" Pete frowned. "But I'm hungry!"

Claudia rolled her eyes. "You're always hungry, Pete."

Pete shrugged unrepentantly. It was a fact of life after all. "Do we at least have snacks?"

A bag of airline pretzels landed in his lap. He grinned like a kid, tore it open with his teeth, and emptied the bag in one big mouthful. "Wut?" he asked around the mashed pretzels when he felt Claudia's stare.

"One day you gotta teach me your ways, oh Master of Gluttony." Claudia closed her laptop with a sigh and pulled out her Farnsworth instead. "I'm going to call Myka so you don't have to starve within the next twenty minutes or so."

"Yay." Pete practically wiggled in his seat.

Claudia was still shaking her head at his antics when Myka opened her Farnsworth on the other end. "Hey, Claude, what's up?"

Claudia rolled her eyes playfully. "Pete is being ... Pete."

Pete reached over and waved his hand in front of the small screen. "'lo, M'ka," he got out around the remains of the pretzels still stuck to his tongue and palate.

"Ah," Myka said, waving back. "The usual."

Claudia nodded. "Listen, we need some help," she said. "We've been driving around this part of Maine for a while and we can't seem to find that town you're in." Claudia scratched her head. "It's not on any map or nav system I have access to."

Myka grinned at the frustration in Claudia's voice. "I think this is how it's supposed to be, Claudia."

"So how did _you_ find it?"

"Helena knew the way," Myka replied. "I didn't even think about it, to be honest. I'll get her to talk you through it."

"Curioser and curioser." Claudia turned to Pete. "If the place isn't on any map, then how did H.G. find it the first time she came here?"

"You gotta ask her." Pete shrugged. He didn't really care all that much as long as there was food at the end of this trip. The bag of pretzels already seemed like a lifetime ago.

H.G. appeared on the Farnsworth. "Claudia, darling, Myka said you're having some difficulty locating Storybrooke?"

"Yeah, it's like the place doesn't really exist."

"Well, it is a bit complicated to find, especially now," H.G. commented vaguely. "Tell me where you are, and I'll point out the fastest way here."

/|||\\\

"How long till they get here?" Myka asked once H.G. handed back the Farnsworth.

"Thirty minutes or so if Pete decides to actually follow the directions I gave them." H.G. looked around Regina's garden. "Ah, I've always liked this space. It smells of apples," she said with a serene smile on her face.

Myka smiled at the look on her lover's face. "Looks like you and Regina share a love for apples," she commented, pointing at the apple tree a few feet away.

H.G. walked to the tree and plucked an apple from a low-hanging branch. "The best apples I've ever tasted." She bit into the bright red fruit, then handed it to Myka. "Try it."

Myka took a healthy bite, enjoying the explosion of taste in her mouth. "This _is_ good," she agreed.

"Regina loves this tree," H.G. explained. "She planted it, back in the Enchanted Forest, and it was one of the few things she brought with her when she cast the curse."

"Is this the tree the poisoned apple came from?"

H.G. shook her head. "No, this is just a regular apple tree."

"Helena?"

"Yes, darling?"

"If Storybrooke isn't meant to be found by outsiders, how did _you_ find it?"

Helena chuckled. "Good question." She took Myka's hand and pulled her back to the house where they sat on a bench. "Regina says it's because I was drawn here by the lingering magic of this place, which manifested itself to me as one giant curiosity." She wrapped an arm around Myka. "I spent about three days driving around this part of Maine until one day I saw a road I hadn't seen before and decided to follow it. It led me straight here, to Storybrooke."

"And then you met Regina?"

"Well, first I met Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, although I didn't know them as such back then." Myka gave her a questioning look. "They run the local diner and inn." She smiled. "I'm sure you'll meet them. They are very colorful characters, both of them, so I decided to try lunch in their establishment. That's when I met Regina."

Myka saw the smile on H.G.'s face. "Did you instantly recognize each other as kindred spirits?"

H.G. laughed. "You've met Regina, haven't you?" She shook her head. "No, she was caustic and tried to intimidate me into leaving, and I found her fascinating." She felt Myka tense in her arms. "No need to be jealous, darling," she said calmly. "She just tried so hard to be cold and imposing, but her eyes said something altogether different about her."

"So you decided to befriend her?"

H.G. nodded. "And to this day I have no idea why she let me."

Myka grinned. "You're pretty irresistible with your lovely accent and your Victorian charm, and you damn well know it."

H.G. grinned rakishly and pulled Myka into a kiss that went from slow and chaste to deep and wet in the span of a few seconds.

"God, Helena," Myka groaned once they parted for air. "I love that you can do that to me."

"Do what, darling?"

"Make me forget everything that's not you and me and the moment we're in." With that she pulled Helena into another kiss.

/|||\\\

Hook simply raised an eyebrow as the purple cloud vanished in front of him, revealing an elderly woman with short gray hair and a stooped stance. "Nice look," he commented with a smirk before going back to polishing his hook.

The spell dropped away, leaving only Cora behind, dressed in an impeccable regal gown and wearing a self-satisfied smile. "Keeping busy, Hook?" she asked dryly.

"Yeah," he drawled. "It's not like there's much else to do here." He spread his arms, indicating the empty ship.

Cora looked around. "The deck could use a good scrubbing ..."

Hook laughed. "I'm not made for manual labor, my pretty."

"Watch it," Cora warned. "I'm a queen and you will address me as such."

The pirate just smirked. "I do so enjoy that bitchiness streak that runs in your family. _Your Majesty._" Cora smiled. "So, did you find out anything useful? Did you run into our former guest?"

"No sign of him," Cora replied with a shrug. "I would assume he drowned. It _is_ quite a long swim for a bug."

Hook grinned evilly. "Guess it doesn't matter if he's dead in the water or alive on my ship. The result should be the same."

"Oh, yes." Cora was clearly proud of her accomplishments so far. "Listening to the people in this little ... _village_ talking about my daughter is such a pleasure." Her eyes were bright as she smiled widely. "She's universally hated by all and sundry. Alas, in all other things she is a disappointment again. I'm afraid that will never change."

"How do you mean?"

Cora whirled around and pointed at the town. "The people here don't fear her enough," she shouted. "According to the gossips in the local tavern she hasn't even used magic in months, even though she apparently could. That is unacceptable!"

"Maybe she's just trying to lure them into a false sense of security before she pounces on them?"

Cora shook her head. "I don't think so," she murmured. "She is weak, just like she's always been. She needs her mother by her side, showing her the right way."

"Weak is not the first word I would associate with Regina," Hook said under his breath, but Cora heard him clearly enough.

"What would _you_ know about women, Hook?" she asked silkily. "Nothing, that's what! If you knew anything about women at all, you wouldn't be here chasing that crocodile of yours."

Hook bristled at the comment, but held back, not in the mood for an icy bath in Storybrooke's harbor. Or worse. He remembered the afternoon spent as a toad and shuddered. Diversionary tactics then. "So the plan is on?"

Cora studied the pirate like an insect under a magnifying glass for a few moments, as if deciding whether to punish him despite his clear show of submission. Finally, she sighed. "Yes, the plan is on. It seems like Regina is completely isolated and, it would seem, at the mercy of Snow White, Prince Charming, and their _spawn_."

"Ah, the lovely Princess Emma." Hook sighed, a far-away look in his eyes.

"You should develop a better taste in women, Hook," Cora commented wryly at the look on his face. "Maybe cast your eyes on someone whose life span can be measured in weeks rather than days or even mere hours?"

"Yeah, yeah." Hook decided to ignore Cora as much as possible, which had always been the safest option with her. "What about the boy?"

"Looks like he hates my daughter, just like he should!" Cora said with a delighted laugh. "There's _nothing_ holding her back now! She will have no option but to join forces with me ... and then we'll burn this place to the ground with all of its _good_ people in it."

"And then?" They had never talked far beyond the getting-Regina-back and burning-down-the-place aspects of their plan. Which was _her_ plan, really. _His_ plan also included finding his crocodile and taking care of that. He wondered if Cora even had a plan.

"Then?" Cora asked haughtily. "Then we'll go back to rule the Enchanted Forest like it was meant to be."

"Without any people in it to rule over, what's the point?"

Cora stared at him for a moment. He had a point, albeit a little one, befit for a small-thinking man like him. "So we'll only kill Snow White and Charming and their spawn," she amended her plan on the fly. "We'll take everyone else back with us, and I will raise the boy to be my rightful heir in all ways."

"If Regina lets you," Hook stated.

"My daughter has never known what's best for her," Cora replied. "She will come to realize that whatever I do is for the best, for both her and that boy she calls her son." She smiled, thinking of ways she could help Regina see the error of her ways. She'd start by taking her heart; things would be much easier that way. "Just imagine, the son of the Savior, learning dark magic from me ..."

Hook did, and he shivered. "As long as you don't try to teach him people skills ..." he muttered, this time being extra careful not to be heard. He almost felt sorry for the people of the Enchanted Forest; their lives would be hell with Cora and Regina on the throne. It was a good thing he wasn't planning on sticking around. "How much longer are we going to just sit and wait out here?" he finally asked out loud.

"Until I'm ready."

/|||\\\

Snow was still twitching anxiously, even as she was sitting at the dining table. She really wasn't happy about this development. Who in their right mind would think it was a good idea that the Savior and the Evil Queen were in love? Well, apart from those friends of Regina's, who apparently all thought it was natural and logical and beautiful. And Henry, of course, sweet Henry who was suddenly back on Regina's side. Even her own husband didn't look nearly as horrified as she would have liked him to be at the thought.

"More tea?" H.G.'s voice pulled Snow from her thoughts. "You look like you could use some."

Snow took the offered mug with a nod. "Thank you."

"Would you like to talk about that cloud over your head?"

Reflexively, Snow looked up at the ceiling. She blushed a little when H.G. laughed gently. "Sorry, but ..."

"Magic, I know," H.G. said with a shrug as she sat down next to Snow.

Snow watched her curiously. "Why are you suddenly being nice to me?" she asked with just a hint of suspicion. "I got the feeling you didn't like me much, seeing as you're Regina's friend."

H.G. took a leisurely sip from her own mug. "I don't care for the way you treat Regina," she replied after a moment. "Neither of us do." _That includes your daughter, so be careful, Snow._ She was sure she didn't have to add that.

Snow snorted. "How would you like me to treat the woman who has tried to kill me countless times and who's taken away my life for 28 long years?"

"Years that you didn't actually miss because you didn't age. Years during which your life was actually rather decent and not the hell you make it out to be."

"Years that I didn't have my daughter, years that I missed watching her grow up," Snow countered venomously.

"Not Regina's fault that you listened to a prophecy rather than your own heart," H.G. replied evenly. "You decided Emma was your Savior."

"Regina would have killed her!"

"I doubt that." H.G. sipped her tea again. "Although she might have taken her in as her own."

"Death would have been preferable." Snow was adamant.

"Really?" H.G. raised an eyebrow. "Yet you ruined her life because you so desperately wanted her to be your mother." H.G. met Snow's eyes unflinchingly as she sighed. "You should treat Regina as a woman who's gone through immeasurable grief and heartache when she was a young girl – a direct consequence of your actions, I might add – and who had nobody to turn to." Her voice was hard as flint. _Maybe she really did not like Snow White all that much._ She softened as she felt a hand on her shoulder that she instantly recognized as Myka's. "You should remember who she was _before_ because that's who she really is," she finished, her tone a little more forgiving.

Snow's eyes flickered between H.G. and Myka, understanding dawning in her eyes. "You're _like_ her, aren't you?" she stated more than asked. "You're defending Regina because you're like her."

To Snow's surprise, H.G. grinned sardonically. "Oh, I was so much worse," she said lightly. "If it weren't for Myka, the world as you know it wouldn't exist any more, and you'd be all dead."

Snow's eyes shot up to Myka who nodded. "Grief can make people do things we never would think possible, even unspeakable, unforgiving things," Myka said gently. "Especially if they're left alone with it for a long time."

"She tried to destroy the whole _world_?" Snow asked Myka. "And _you_ stopped her?"

"Everybody needs a Savior sometimes," H.G. answered, covering Myka's hand on her shoulder with her own. "Myka is mine."

"And I'm Regina's," a voice added from behind them.

Snow whirled around in her seat to face her daughter who was standing in the doorway, freshly showered and holding the hand of the former Evil Queen. The look Regina and Emma shared was filled with so much love that even Snow couldn't deny it. She realized she had nothing to say, except to ask, "Are you feeling better now?"

Before Emma could answer, Henry barreled into them at a run, hugging them both hard around the waist. "Moms!" he cried. "Are you okay now? Did your hearts get switched by accident? That was it, right? Did you switch them back? Is everything alright now?"

He stopped to take a breath while his mothers hugged him back, squeezing him tightly with one arm each. Emma and Regina shared a look over Henry's head. They had agreed not to mention the current status of their hearts, but they should have known that Henry would ask.

"We're fine, Henry," Regina replied after a moment, her face full of love for the boy in her arms as she answered the most urgent question. It reminded Snow of the young woman who had saved her life so many years ago. The young woman she had indeed wanted as a mother. Maybe Helena was right, maybe the old Regina was still there.

"Everything's fine," Emma added, looking at Henry and then Snow. "We're _both_ fine."

"Emma!" David approached the women carefully. "I'm so, so sorry," he apologized. "I just wanted to save you ... I never meant to cause you harm in any way." He fidgeted, not knowing what to do with his hands, so he finally rested them on Snow's shoulders.

"And yet you did," Regina ground out through gritted teeth, eyes blazing at him and venom lacing her voice. "I wish you'd learn to think before you act, Charming."

Emma squeezed her hand. "Regina," she admonished her quietly. "Neither of us can help who we are," she added, "and he and I will always charge in without thinking if we think someone we love is in danger."

David shrugged charmingly. "It's in our genes," he said. "Just like we'll always-"

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence," Regina said, voice dangerously low. David closed his mouth with a snap.

Emma chuckled as she leaned closer to Regina. "You know he's right, though," she whispered into Regina's ear. "I will always ... run after you." _Maybe wording it differently wouldn't send Regina into a fit. _Regina just rolled her eyes. "And I will always try my damnedest to save you, come hell or high water. Or your mother."

Regina met the green eyes so close to her own as she swallowed. "That's what I'm afraid of, Princess."


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Much thanks to everyone who keeps coming back to this story. I appreciate you all very much.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I still don't own any of the characters in this story. I claim ownership of the odd creatively placed comma, though. And maybe a semicolon or two.**

* * *

"So, what are we going to do about your mother?" Myka asked once she had swallowed the last bite of the absolutely fabulous pancakes Regina had made.

Everyone around the table fell silent, all eyes on Regina who swallowed daintily and dabbed at her lips with the cloth napkin. Life-threatening situations were no excuse not to have breakfast in style. She met Myka's eyes almost apologetically. "I suggest that you wait for your friends to arrive," she said evenly, "and then to leave as quickly as you can."

H.G. straightened her posture. "Now wait a minute-"

"Helena," Regina interrupted her softly. "This is not what I asked you to come here for. I won't let you risk your lives by staying here. You need to leave."

H.G. merely raised an eyebrow. "What about Henry? And Emma? Is it okay for them to stay?"

Regina chuckled darkly. "Believe me, my friend," she replied, chancing a look at Emma beside her, "if I thought for one second I could get them to leave, I'd want them as far away from here as possible."

Emma's eyes widened. "I won't leave you," she protested.

"I'm staying here!" Henry cried. "You adults always send me away when something happens."

"That's because we love you and want to protect you," Snow said, putting a hand on her grandson's shoulder.

Regina focused on Emma. "I know you won't leave me," she said seriously. "And I don't really want you to leave, as selfish as that may be ... but-"

"You _need_ me here," Emma interrupted, confident and steadfast.

"Emma," Snow started.

"No, Snow." Emma shook her head almost violently. "She literally _needs_ me here, just like I need _her_ to be close."

"What are you saying?" David asked.

"You know what I'm saying, David." Emma met her father's eyes calmly. "_You_ should know what this feels like."

Snow was shaking her head like she was trying to ward off the thought, but David nodded. He smiled, determined to make up for hurting them both with his brash behavior earlier. "I can't say that I'm happy after everything that's happened between us," he said softly, looking at Regina. He waited until he had her attention before continuing. "But it's not like there's anything anyone can do to rip you apart now, so I promise we won't try."

Snow looked like she wanted to protest, but she didn't get further than taking a deep breath. David put his hand on her arm and shook his head. "No, Snow," he insisted quietly. "You know nothing good comes from trying to break apart true love."

Snow sighed deeply. "Why are you not more bothered by this?"

"Oh, I'm pretty bothered," David replied with a snort. "But even if I wanted to hurt Regina now, Agent Bering still has my sword-"

"And if she didn't, she'd just take it off you in a second," Steve interjected laconically. "Again."

David winced. His pride wasn't quite over that yet. "And even if I could hold onto it this time, Emma would probably shoot me with my own gun."

Snow chanced a quick glance at Emma. "She wouldn't ..." But she didn't sound entirely convinced.

"I might," Emma said with a devilish grin. "But I'd aim somewhere non-lethal."

David laughed. "Small mercies." He turned to Snow. "See? Nothing I can do."

"Seriously though," Emma continued. "You better learn to live with this, Snow." She reached over to lace her fingers with Regina's. "Because this is not going away. Ever."

Everyone could see Snow fighting with herself. Her eyes were shut tightly against the world, and she swallowed hard.

"Snow." Regina had never addressed Snow so gently in all the time Emma had known her. "Please?"

Snow looked up, just as surprised as everybody else to hear Regina plead with her. "You once took a love from me," Regina continued. "However unwittingly it was," she added through slightly gritted teeth. "Please don't try and interfere with this one." _You wouldn't like the consequences, _she added in her mind. Some things didn't need to be said out loud to be understood.

It felt like hours, but finally Snow nodded. Emma actually sagged in relief, letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding in. Regina squeezed her hand, the only outward sign that she was as affected by this as Emma was.

Emma squeezed back. "Thank you, mom," she breathed. Snow sobbed once, twice before she was gathered up in David's arms. Hearing that word from Emma's mouth made her heart bloom and overflow with feeling.

A knock on the door interrupted the emotional moment. Regina moved to get up, but was stopped by Myka. "Let me, please," she offered. "It's probably Pete and Claudia." She stood. "And if it's your mother, I'll just yell really loudly."

Myka winked and left the room, listening to the chuckles that followed her. _Tension successfully broken._

/|||\\\

"I'm bored."

"Stop whining, Hook, it doesn't become you." Cora turned to face him. "Feel free to go crocodile hunting, my dear."

"You sure?"

Cora nodded. "It's not like I need you," she said dismissively. "But be careful not to lose any more body parts, dear. I promised to restore your hand, nothing else."

"Yeah, yeah," Hook grumbled as he got up from the deck and walked to the railing. "Are you going to send me over?"

Cora smiled maliciously. "I thought you were bored, Hook," she said evenly. "The exercise will do you good."

Hook looked toward Storybrooke with a sigh before he sat back down. It was a damn long swim. "What are you plotting, your majesty?" he asked, his mood soured even further.

The smile on Cora's face scared him. "I'm trying to figure out how to do the most damage."

"More damage. To whom?" Hook asked. "I thought you already wanted Regina back, get your hooks into her so-called son, and then burn the place to the ground."

"That is indeed what I want," Cora replied with barely veiled impatience. "But that doesn't mean I can't have any fun along the way."

"Isn't that fun enough for an afternoon?" Hook asked.

"Not when it comes to my daughter," Cora said darkly. "I've decided she needs to suffer a little before I accept her back into my loving arms. She killed me, after all, and that demands a lesson in manners, don't you agree?"

"Except you're not really dead," Hook pointed out.

"Details, dear." Cora turned back to watching Storybrooke. "Details."

/|||\\\

"I can't wait to meet this Evil Queen," Pete said, waggling his eyebrows as he knocked on the white door of 108 Mifflin Street. "I wonder if she's all weird and _bad_ like in the movies." He clearly wasn't taking any of this seriously.

Claudia shook her head with an indulgent grin. She had shared what she knew about H.G.'s friend, but since that hadn't been much, they were both a little in the dark as to what to expect behind the door of the rather imposing mansion. _And yes, meeting a so-called Evil Queen? Cool prospect._

Myka opened the door with a wide grin. "Hey, you two," she greeted them. "Finally found us, eh?"

Pete grinned back. "Hey there, Mykes," he boomed boisterously.

Claudia smiled at the overgrown child she considered her big brother. "We would have been here faster," she said to Myka, "but the Petester here had to stop twice to refuel."

Myka laughed. "I'm guessing you're not talking about the car, right?" Claudia shook her head and Pete rubbed his belly. "Well, come on in then. We just finished a late breakfast."

"Oooh," Pete cooed excitedly. "Is there any food left?"

They made their way inside the mansion and Myka closed the door behind them. "Swanky," Claudia commented as she looked around the foyer.

"Yes," Myka agreed. "Regina has a pretty expensive taste."

"And from the looks of this place, I'd say she can afford it," Pete remarked. His eyes surreptitiously wandered to every part of the house he could see, always observing but never really looking like it.

Myka led them into the dining room. "Everyone," she said, "meet Agent Pete Lattimer and Claudia Donovan."

A chorus of _hellos_ greeted them and Claudia waved out of sheer reflex. Then suddenly Myka grinned with an evil little glint in her eye. "Pete, Claudia, meet Snow White, Prince Charming, Jiminy Cricket, the White Knight, the Queen, and their son Henry."

Pete's jaw dropped almost comically. "Myka have you been whammied by something?" he asked.

H.G. chuckled. "We're quite all right, Pete, not _whammied_ by an artifact," she said. "Didn't Claudia tell you what or better _whom_ to expect?"

Pete nodded distractedly, his eyes roving over the group of fairytale characters. "She mentioned an Evil Queen but I didn't think she meant that literally, you know." He turned to Myka. "They're really real?"

"We're all _quite_ real," Regina replied, a playful smirk around her lips. "Welcome to my home. Or should I say my _evil lair_?"

Pete stared at the beautiful woman in front of him as his brain dropped to a lower body part. When he had heard _Evil Queen_ this wasn't what he had expected to find. _This_ woman was extraordinarily gorgeous, so he did what he always did when faced with beautiful women: he put on his most charming smile and sidled closer to Regina. "Hello there," he said when he was standing well within her personal space. "You don't look evil to me, Lady. On the contrary."

"Oh God, here we go," Myka muttered sub-vocally. "Pete," she hissed.

Pete didn't hear the implied warning as his eyes raked over Regina's body, much to her amusement. "Mr. Latimer," she said with a small smile and a dip of her head. "It's good to know Helena's description of you does you justice."

"So you've heard of me? Good," he said, his smile widening. "Please call me Pete. Nobody mentioned how beautiful you are, your majesty," he continued, then paused. "Do I call you your majesty?"

"How about you just call me Regina?" Regina took a small step back and wasn't surprised to feel Emma's hand at the small of her back.

Emma wasn't amused by Pete's aggressive flirting. At all. _So okay, the guy reminds me of a big labrador, but the way he's sniffing around my girlfriend ... partner ... whatever the hell we're gonna call us ... wasn't okay. _She took a step closer to Regina as her hand clenched in the fabric of the silk shirt Regina wore. She was almost plastered to Regina's side now.

Regina looked at Emma out of the corner of her eye. _Was that a growl?_ She smiled softly, surprisingly enjoying the possessive display, even though she knew she shouldn't. _Emma knows she has nothing to worry about. Doesn't she?_

Pete ignored the big, glaring warning signs emanating loudly from the blond woman standing so close to the focus of his attention. "Regina it is then," he said genially. He leaned in a little closer still but before he could say anything else he was suddenly yanked through the air by some unseen force until he crashed into the wall behind him with a loud thudding sound. "Ouch," he groaned as he slowly slid to the floor.

"Regina!" Snow yelled in her best elementary school teacher voice. "You can't _do_ that! That was totally uncalled for!"

Regina bristled at the accusation and gave Snow a death glare. "I-"

"She didn't do it," Emma interrupted her evenly.

"She obviously did," Snow argued, pointing at Pete who was slowly getting back on his feet, pulled up by Myka and Steve.

Pete shook himself. "Man, Lady, you pack quite a wallop," he said, his voice showing more admiration than anger. "How did you _do_ that?"

"Magic," Snow, David, Archie, and Henry replied simultaneously as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Regina didn't do it," Emma growled and wrapped her arm around Regina's waist. She glared at Pete. "Sorry 'bout that," she said, not sounding sorry at all. "Next time don't get that close to someone else's girlfriend."

Pete shrugged and gave Emma a disarming grin. "Fair enough," he said. "I'd have probably done the same ... well, without the throwing through the air thing." He gave Claudia a look. "A tiny detail you forgot to mention?"

Claudia grinned. "Oops?"

Myka and H.G. laughed, knowing that Pete wouldn't take offense at the whole situation. It certainly wasn't the first time something like this had happened to him, and it definitely wouldn't be the last. And as expected Pete promptly forgot all about the altercation and grinned widely as he saw the breakfast table. "Is there any food left?"

/|||\\\

As Pete started devouring everything on the table, Regina pulled Emma from the room and into the kitchen. "Want to tell me what that was?" she asked gently, pushing a lock of hair behind Emma's ear.

"Sorry," Emma muttered, staring at her boots, afraid to meet Regina's eyes. She really had no idea where that had come from or how she had done it. One second she had resented Pete's presence in Regina's personal space, the next he was flying through the air as if repelled by an invisible force field.

"Hey." Regina coaxed Emma's face up with a fingers until she could look into worried green eyes. "I'm not complaining."

"You're not?" Emma's eyes widened a little in hope. She bit her lip.

Regina smiled tenderly, finding Emma utterly irresistible like this. "No one has ever defended ... their claim to me before," she whispered, and there was a hint of awe in her voice. "And although it was completely unnecessary and a bit neanderthal ... I can't believe I'm saying this ... it felt good," she admitted.

"Yeah?" More lip-biting.

In reply, Regina closed the short distance between them and gently placed her lips on Emma's. The kiss was soft and gentle as Regina tried to convey her feelings through actions rather than words. She knew she had succeeded when Emma whimpered softly and deepened the kiss, clutching at her back, curling her fingers into silk, trying to get to the skin beneath.

Regina chose not to worry about being interrupted, at least for a few moments, and let herself fall into the feeling of being this close, this open to Emma. Their magic flared up for a brief moment, possibly because Emma had used it shortly before, making their connection even more poignant than usual. Regina's hands tightened in Emma's hair, moving her head this way and that, exactly where she wanted her. Emma followed willingly, as long as her mouth was allowed to stay in contact with Regina's. Their tongues swirled intimately, slowly, tasting the love, the magic between them.

There was a noise behind them and a mumbled "Sorry" but that barely registered with Emma who was completely lost in the kiss. Regina noticed the sounds and reluctantly _– very reluctantly –_ slowed her kisses and the tugging on Emma's hair, easing them gently, tenderly out of the kiss until they parted, breathing heavily.

Emma chased Regina's lips once, twice but finally just rested her forehead against Regina's shoulder. "We have to stop, huh?" she mumbled, sounding resigned.

Regina just nodded, knowing Emma would feel it. She didn't feel like talking. All she wanted was to shirk all responsibilities and drag Emma off somewhere private where they could spend an eternity losing themselves in each other. She took a deep breath as she pulled Emma tightly against her body, simply enjoying their contact for a few precious moments longer.

Finally, they both relaxed their hold and Emma raised her head. "I love you," Emma whispered.

"I know."

"I'm yours."

"You are?"

"You're mine."

"I am yours. Forever."

Emma felt warmth suffuse her whole body at the words, words no one had ever said to her, words she had never expected to hear. Not ever. "I'm the luckiest woman alive," she said with a soft smile.

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Almost everyone we know would disagree with you," she replied. "Especially since we're about to face an evil unlike any you've seen before."

Emma shrugged. "We can beat her."

Regina believed her.

/|||\\\

By the time they returned to the dining room, Pete had finished every last scrap of food and was grinning happily at something Henry was talking about.

Regina grinned evilly when a blush on Snow's face clearly identified her as the one who had interrupted them in the kitchen. _Maybe seeing us together like that will help Snow along the way to acceptance._

"Now that we're all here," Regina said once all eyes were on her and Emma, "let's talk about what to expect, shall we?"

"Madness and mayhem?" Pete asked. When everyone stared at him, he continued, "What?! That's what usually follows wherever we're going ..."

"He's not wrong," Steve conceded from the corner of the room.

"Oh, great," Snow muttered. "That means we have a whole group of trouble magnets here ..."

"You being one of them," David reminded her.

Regina cleared her throat. "My mother is the kind of trouble no one on their right mind wants to face," she said seriously. "She's the most powerful witch I've ever met, and she has no heart."

"Literally or figuratively?" H.G. asked, ignoring Pete's and Claudia's stares at her question.

Regina sighed. "I don't know," she admitted. "I wish I could say she took out her own heart ... it would make it much easier to explain the things she's done. But ..."

Emma rested a comforting hand on Regina's shoulder. "But she could just be downright evil, black heart and all."

"Excuse me," Claudia mumbled suddenly. "But who is your mother and why are we fighting her?"

"She's the Queen of Hearts," Henry explained patiently. "She's also the miller's daughter, I guess," he added with a shrug. "She's evil ... like, _really_ evil." He looked at Regina, and Emma could have sworn she heard the silent _unlike my mom_ in her son's words. "I guess she wants to destroy Storybrooke and ... and ..."

"She wants me," Regina continued when Henry faltered. "She craves power above all else and now that magic is back in Storybrooke, she wants to rule this town. With me, I assume." She hesitated. "Or she could just want to kill me like I once tried to kill her, who knows?"

"It doesn't matter," Emma said firmly. "She needs to be stopped, and Regina and I are the ones to do it."

"Why you?" Steve asked.

"Because I we're the only ones who _can_."

"Or die trying," Snow muttered under her breath, clearly unhappy with the situation.

"We're going to fight with you," David said. "You're _not_ doing this alone."

"David, please," Regina said urgently. "Take Snow and Archie and everyone else and get them to a relatively safe place."

"The convent or the hospital," Emma added.

"What about Henry?" Snow asked, knowing that the boy was the most important thing to both women.

"I want to stay," Henry predictably said.

"Henry," Emma said gently. "We want you to get as far away from Cora as possible. We can't risk letting her near you. She would only use you against us."

Regina turned to H.G. and Myka who had been quietly watching so far. "Please-"

H.G. interrupted her, guessing what Regina was going to say. "I'm not going anywhere, Regina."

"We came here to help, so that's what we're going to do," Myka added. Steve nodded.

"And I certainly didn't fly here from Honolulu just for pancakes," Pete agreed, "no matter how fantastic they were."

"What he said." Claudia's thumb pointed at Pete.

Regina sighed. She should have expected this, but she wouldn't give up yet. She'd just talk to Helena and Myka again later.

"Are we just going to wait for Cora to attack?" Archie asked into the sudden silence.

Emma grimaced. "I'm not very patient," she said, earning herself a snort from both Regina and Snow. "Sitting around waiting for doom to arrive isn't my thing."

Regina nodded. "My mother has no idea that we know she's here," she said. "That gives us an advantage."

"She also thinks Regina stands completely alone and that we all hate her," Emma said. "She doesn't know that her daughter has friends and something to fight for." She gripped Regina's hand tightly.

"That's true," Archie agreed. "I remember her saying that she wanted Regina alone and hopeless, hated by all ... that's why she framed her for my murder." Pete and Claudia stared at him. "Long story," Archie answered their silent question.

"Why do I get the feeling that's the answer to a lot of questions around here?" Pete asked.

"The plan is to let Cora think that she succeeded," Emma said, ignoring Pete. "And if possible to engage her as far away from any vital parts of town as possible."

"Which will be difficult enough given that my mother loves attention." Regina frowned. "If I had to guess, I'd say she's planning on a big show in the middle of town, where everyone can witness her triumph before she kills them all."

"How long do you think we have?" Myka asked.

"I don't know," Regina replied. "I'm sure my mother is spying on the town, either from the ship or by actually going into Storybrooke. She can make herself look like anybody she wants to, so that's easy for her." She sighed. "And when she has confirmation that she has me where she wants me, she'll pounce. We need to move things along a bit."

"Which is why you two should go to Granny's and make a big production out of how much you hate her and what she did to Archie," Emma said to Snow and David.

"I'm sure you won't find that too difficult," Regina added, her voice devoid of emotion. Snow and David nodded, whether at Emma or Regina was anybody's guess.

"Be on the lookout for anything unusual," Emma urged. "Call us if there's anything we need to know. And when you're at Granny's, talk loudly about how I'm after Regina to bring her to justice."

"It would be wise to invite everyone to an impromptu town meeting in the convent this evening," Regina said. "That way everyone's out of the way and we can engage Cora without risking unnecessary lives. Tell them you want to address my fate ... that should get the whole town there."

"Good idea," Archie commented. He was feeling quite proud. Regina had come very far from the woman she once had been. Or maybe she had gone back to the woman she had been before she had become the Evil Queen. He shook his head. _Too complicated._

"What about me?" Henry piped up. "Should I go with grandma and grandpa? I could pretend to still be sad about Archie."

"No," Regina breathed. "No ... I know that it would make sense, but ..."

"You're going to stay here with us for now," Emma said. "Just like Archie." It wasn't like _he_ could go anywhere, being officially dead and all.

Henry smiled happily. He would have just run back to his mothers anyway.

"What about Hook?" Archie suddenly remembered that Cora hadn't come to Storybrooke alone.

"Unless something has changed drastically," Regina said easily, "I doubt he's going to be a problem."

"Don't underestimate the bad guys, mom," Henry urged her seriously. "You have to let them underestimate you."

Pete gave him a thumbs up. "That's very wise advice."

"It is," Regina agreed. "Thank you, Henry." She gave him her most brilliant smile.

A silence settled over the group. Finally, Snow cleared her throat. "I guess we're off to Granny's then? If we hurry we can run right into the lunch crowd." She walked over to her daughter and pulled her into a tight hug. "Be careful, please," she whispered fiercely. "You too," she added looking at Regina, who tried hard not to show her surprise, but failed. Snow rolled her eyes. "Don't be so shocked. My daughter's happiness is tied to your existence, so you better make sure you live a long and healthy life."

"For Emma?" Regina croaked.

"Anything for her," Snow confirmed. She let Emma go, making room for David who engulfed his daughter in a firm hug as well. Then they left.

Emma turned to their son. "Henry, why don't you show Pete and Steve your comic collection?" She turned pleading eyes on the guys, who jumped up immediately, sounding far more enthusiastic than she had expected. To her surprise, Archie followed them upstairs.

Regina watched them leave, then turned to H.G. and Myka, but before she could say anything, H.G. held up a hand. "Let me guess," she drawled. "You would like to talk to us."

Emma and Regina grinned wryly and nodded. "Outside?" Emma suggested and led the way.

/|||\\\

As soon as they were in the backyard, Regina turned to H.G. "Please take Myka and your friends and leave Storybrooke," she implored her friend before Helena could interrupt her again. "Take Henry with you."

Emma nodded. "You're the only ones who can leave the town safely with Henry," she said. "We need him to be safe."

H.G. and Myka looked slightly shocked. That was _not_ what they had expected. "You want us to take your son?" Myka finally asked. "While you stay here and fight your mother?"

"You know I have no choice," Regina said.

"And I can't leave her side," Emma added.

"I know that you said you needed to stay close," Myka said. "But why is that? Does it have to do with the true love thing?"

"It's more than that," Emma answered. She turned to face Regina. "I figured it out, you know." She raised a hand and pushed an errant lock of hair behind Regina's ear.

Regina unconsciously leaned into the hand. "Figured what out, dear?"

"This connection between us." Emma smiled tenderly. "It keeps us calm and focused. And probably sane."

"What do you mean?" Myka asked.

"It means that physical closeness has a positive effect on their mental state," H.G. replied when Emma and Regina seemed lost in each other's eyes. "I saw it happen last night when Snow and David showed up at the door to confront Regina."

Myka thought back, remembering the scene. "They were both calm as long as they stayed close ..."

"Exactly," Emma said, still not taking her eyes off Regina.

"So what happens when you're not close?" Myka asked.

"I'm not sure," Regina replied. "Our connection only manifested when we figured out we were feeling the same thing for each other. We have yet to see the full effect. Or the side effects."

"You were quite anxious and ... fidgety ... when Emma left the room last night," H.G. reminded Regina. "As soon as Emma came back you calmed down." She looked at Emma. "That's what made me realize that physical closeness might be beneficial for you two."

Emma nodded. "I felt weird too ... like I should be somewhere else. There was this pull ..."

"That was probably those strings between your hearts," Myka mumbled. "Does that mean you won't ever be able to be away from each other?" she asked curiously.

H.G. considered that. "I think it's something they'll get used to," she replied slowly, as if testing out the thoughts as they were forming in her mind. "This is still fresh and I think your bodies and hearts need to adjust."

Emma met Regina's eyes, eyebrows raised in question. Regina shrugged. Myka and H.G. watched the silent communication going on.

"It's like they're having a whole conversation without saying anything," Myka whispered to H.G. "It's amazing."

"They _are_ having a conversation," H.G. whispered back. "We do the same thing sometimes, darling." Then she leaned even closer, so that only Myka could hear. "I bet they didn't switch back their hearts and now they're wondering if and how to tell us."

Myka stared at her. "How do you know that? You were with me the whole time."

"It's what I would have done."

Emma cleared her throat as she tore her eyes from Regina's. "We might have found a solution to the distance problem, but we're not sure."

"You kept each other's hearts, didn't you?" H.G. decided to ask.

Regina chuckled. "I should have known you'd figure it out."

"You really think that might help?" Myka asked.

Emma shrugged. "Don't know. We haven't exactly had time to test it yet."

"No time like the present," H.G. said airily.

"True," Emma said. "And that's why we're out here." She pointed to the distance. "I'm going to go over there and around the house. That's much farther apart than we were last night. Let's see what happens." She looked at H.G. "Could you tag along?"

Helena nodded. "I'd be delighted."

Emma tenderly ran her hand along Regina's shoulder and walked away, H.G. trailing after her.

Myka watched Regina carefully as Emma vanished from sight. "Anything?"

Regina felt inside herself. "It's different from last night," she finally replied. "It's like I can feel her, but so far there are no negative side effects." She gave Myka a half-grin. "This must sound rather crazy to you."

Myka shook her head. "Actually, it sounds sort of amazing." She stared at the ground for a moment. "I have that with Helena sometimes, you know," she finally admitted softly. "Even before we got together, I sort of felt it when she was near ... and I definitely feel better knowing she's close and that she's okay." Her voice broke a little, remembering the past few years.

Regina ran a comforting hand up and down Myka's arms. "I'm sorry for everything you had to go through," she said gently. "It must have been hard not to know where Helena was when she was taken away by the Regents. I almost went after her because I had no idea what was going on, why she wasn't coming by anymore, why I couldn't reach her. It must have been so much harder for you."

Myka nodded, ignoring the tear running down her face. "It was worth it," she whispered. "I'd go through it all over again, if it meant I was allowed to be with her in the end."

"I know the feeling," Regina said with a smile. She felt along her connection to Emma and sent a smile her way, knowing it had arrived when a warm feeling erupted in her chest moments later.

Myka saw the smile. "Looks like you're still online," she commented.

Regina hummed, still smiling. Suddenly the smile vanished and she doubled over, groaning and leaning heavily onto Myka. "What ...?" There was a moment of intense pain, and then it felt like the magic inside her was being switched off, then on, over and over again.

"Regina!" Myka shouted as she tried to hold up the smaller woman. "Regina, what's going on?" Regina trembled in her arms as her eyes rolled back in her head. Then she was still, and Myka lowered her gently to the ground. "Regina!" she tried once more, shaking the other woman gently. She felt for a pulse and was relieved when she found it.

After what felt like minutes, Regina opened her eyes, feeling fine again, if a bit numb. She carefully stretched her body and took a deep breath. "Now that was an interesting sensation," she muttered as she got up slowly.

"What the hell happened?" Myka demanded frantically, reaching down to help her up.

Regina gave a short laugh. "You sound just like Emma, dear." She took another breath, testing her body and her magic, but everything was fine now. She sent a thought to Emma and got her answer instantly. "Everything's fine," she told Myka. "Emma's fine, too."

As if on cue, Emma and H.G. rounded the corner of the house at a slight jog. "You felt that?" Emma asked as she found herself wrapped in Regina's arms, hugged hard. Regina nodded and pulled back to slug Emma on the arm. "Ouch."

"Don't ever do that again!" Regina demanded.

"I told you it might not be the best idea," H.G. said with a shrug.

"What did you do?" Myka asked, eyes narrowed dangerously. Then she spotted something in the back of H.G.'s jeans. "Oh no, you didn't."

"She did," Emma said simply.

"Did _what_?" Regina was getting impatient and it showed on her face and in her voice.

"Helena shot me with that Tesla thing," Emma replied.

"I thought that was dangerous!" Regina whirled and faced H.G., who took a step back in pure reflex.

"Short burst from maximum distance, lowest setting," H.G. stammered quickly, cool Victorian veneer cracked by her friend's sudden rage. "She was only out for a minute or two, I swear."

"Regina, it's okay," Emma said reassuringly, wrapping her arms around Regina from behind. "I asked her to do it when I felt you sending that warm feeling to me ... I had to know for sure if it worked the same way for bad stuff." She pressed a kiss against Regina's head. "Now we know," she added. "And we know how to beat Cora."

"The Tesla interferes with magic," Regina mused out loud, remembering the feeling she experienced when Emma had been hit by the Tesla just moments ago.

"From what Emma described, I would say it short-circuits it," H.G. agreed, "at least for a short period of time. Even longer if we used a much higher setting, which would also knock her out for far longer, I assume."

Regina nodded, accepting Emma's reckless actions for now. _Needs must and all that ... and if it meant not having to kill her own mother – again – she was happy to use whatever means possible. That only left one problem. _"So if we need the Teslas, I guess we can't ask you to leave town," she said quietly. "Which means Henry has to stay as well."

Emma tightened her arms around Regina's middle, making soothing circles with the finger of her right hand. "Let's face it," she whispered, her warm breath caressing the side of Regina's face. "It's not like he would have left without putting up a huge fight anyway. Maybe it's better to know where he is than to have to worry about where he might have run off to."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: This is it (well, almost ... there's an epilogue still to come). We're finally at the end of the this story that has held my attention over the past couple of months. I apologize for the delay in posting but this chapter is massive, and I found it quite hard to let go of these characters. On the up side, I can now go back to working on the Swan Queen/Bering & Wells AU story I had really been working on before this idea took hold of me. Maybe I can finish that now. :D**

**A/N 2: Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed. It has made writing this story a pleasure. **

**A/N 3: I'd like to apologize in advance because I can't write action scenes. I really can't. So if they're lacking, please try to disregard it and enjoy the smut instead. First half of the chapter is pretty smuffy (smutty fluff or fluffy smut), for those who want to skip these things. Definitely M though. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters. If I would they'd all be much happier than they are.**

* * *

Snow was quiet on the way to Granny's, and after a few moments David found the silence oppressing. He took one hand off the steering wheel and ran it down Snow's forearm to get her attention.

Snow turned her head with a slightly dazed look in her eyes. "What?"

"Are you okay?" David asked gently. "With ... everything?"

Snow seemed to contemplate the question. "I'm not sure ... I don't know," she replied honestly. "I don't think I have a choice. You've seen their hearts, Charming."

David shook his head, still not quite believing what he had seen. "Yeah, I saw them," he admitted. "Snow, they were _blue_!" he exclaimed. "I've never seen hearts look like that."

"It must be their magic, I guess," Snow said. "This ... connection they suddenly have now." She sounded a little frustrated. "God, why _her_ of all people?"

"I'm not sure it's all that sudden," David remarked. "Emma has always had a way of defending Regina."

"When she wasn't busy cursing her or destroying my kitchen appliances because of something she had done or said," Snow replied dryly.

"I'm not sure _that_ wasn't frustration about something else altogether," David said with a wink.

The sound Snow made wasn't entirely human and she waved her hands in front of her face as if to ward off some evil thoughts.

"Remember how we were at each other's throat all the time in the beginning?" David asked fondly.

Snow looked thoughtful. "So you _really_ think it's true love?"

"Yes, I do," he replied evenly. "And so do you."

"Yeah, I do." Snow shook her head. "I guess it's time to try and forgive Regina ..." She sighed.

"Will you be able to?"

"Again, I have no choice," Snow said with a snort. "Can you imagine the awkward family dinners if I don't?"

"Those dinners are going to be awkward no matter what," David remarked. "There's a lot of bad history between us."

"There is," Snow agreed. "But Agent Wells reminded me of something earlier: that I once loved Regina and that she was a very different woman back then."

"And Regina herself has said that _that_ woman was dead."

"That was before Henry," Snow said, deep in thought. "And definitely before Emma." She paused. "I believe that Henry has done wonders for her wish to redeem herself, and that Emma's love will bring the lightness of the old Regina back."

"Let's hope you're right," David muttered. "For all our sakes." He stopped the car in front of the diner. "Ready?"

They entered the diner and the whole room turned to stare at them. Unconsciously, they both straightened their posture into a more regal stance.

"Snow!" Granny hollered from behind the counter. "It's good that you're here."

"Why?" Snow asked carefully.

"We were just discussing how to get rid of the evil witch once and for all," Leroy drawled. "She's been left alone for far too long and now that she killed Jiminy, she needs to pay."

"Nobody's going to hurt Regina," Snow blurted out before she could stop herself. "At least not yet," she added quickly, remembering the pretense she and David had promised to keep up. "I want everyone to come to the convent tonight so we can discuss the Evil Queen's fate."

"Nice save," David whispered. Aloud he added, "Please spread the word, everyone. Town meeting at the convent tonight at six. Everyone should be there." Then he and Snow left again.

Leroy grumbled, Granny nodded, and Red just stared after Snow for a long moment.

Outside, Snow called Emma to update her. Both she and David pretended not to notice the old woman watching them with eagle eyes.

/|||\\\

Emma slipped her phone back in her pocket and turned to Regina. "Snow said they were being watched by someone who they assume was your mother, and Granny and the others are going to spread the word, so ... things are in motion."

"Good," Regina said with a nod. "Ungh, I _hate_ waiting."

"Yeah, Ms. Patient you're not." Emma smirked and pressed herself closer to her lover. Her body was pulling her there, feeling strangely wired, and she wasn't going to resist that. "I know a thing or two we could do to pass the time." She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Really, Ms. Swan?" Regina's tone was a mix between chastising and interested, much more interested than Emma had expected. She looked around at Myka and H.G. who were talking quietly a few feet behind them. "This is _not_ the time."

"Isn't it?" Emma asked seriously. "We have an afternoon with nothing to do but wait-"

"We need to-"

"We need to ... what?" Emma asked softly. "Plan for the confrontation with your mother? We have as much of a plan for her as we're ever going to get." She cupped Regina's face, so she could see her eyes. "We have an afternoon, Regina, and a little rest might do as all some good." She pressed the softest of kisses on Regina's lips. "Besides, there's all this residual energy swirling around my body ..." Another kiss, firmer this time.

Regina couldn't help but smile into the kiss. "Why do I get the feeling that what you're suggesting has very little to do with _resting_?"

"Because you know how much I want you?" Emma asked back. "All the damn time," she added in a breathy whisper that skittered along the shell of Regina's ear and straight down her spine like an electric current.

A throat was cleared close to them and they both turned their heads to look into the grinning faces of H.G. and Myka. "You two look like you could use some privacy," Myka remarked with a smile.

"Sorry," Regina said, blushing a little, but Emma simply shrugged, not the least bit embarrassed. It was true, after all.

"Don't be," H.G. replied quickly. "In fact, we wanted to suggest that we all take some time to relax. It's always a good idea to take your moments when you can get them. You never know-"

"How can you all be so calm about this?" Regina interrupted her. "What if my mother decides not to follow _our_ plan?"

"Then we'll deal with it." Myka shrugged. "You know her best, though," she said. "How likely is she to ignore what we're offering her? Everyone in one place on a silver platter?"

Regina gave that question some thought. "It has been a very long time since I've seen her," she said slowly, "but I'd say she probably couldn't resist. I certainly wouldn't have. It makes things nice and easy for her."

"Snow and David will let us know if anything happens," Emma kept coaxing Regina into giving in. She just wanted, _needed_ some time with her, preferably wrapped around her. _Clothing optional._

"What about Henry?" Regina asked testily. "Is he supposed to just fend for himself while we ..." She left the rest unsaid.

Emma winced, remembering their son was upstairs, and let out a sigh. "Okay, that's a fair point." She looked at Myka. "But that doesn't mean _you_ can't go upstairs and, you know, relax for a bit."

"Thanks," H.G. said dryly, albeit with a smile. "But why don't we check on Henry and the others, and then decide what to do?"

The two couples trudged upstairs, hand in hand, all four women lost in their own thoughts. Emma felt like her whole body was buzzing, and she wasn't sure whether that was really residual energy from the light Tesla blast or simply her body's reaction to Regina's presence, or their magic. All she knew was that she needed to stay in contact with the other woman, and her fingers tightened around Regina's. "When this is all over," she whispered as low as possible, "I want a week with you alone. Just you and me and any available horizontal surface."

Regina shivered at the suggestive growl and felt herself nodding. "Yes," she breathed. _Anything you want, Emma. If I survive tonight, you can have anything you want._

Helena's hand tightened around Myka's. She, too, was feeling a need to be close, and like Emma she wasn't really sure why. From a scientific point of view, she hypothesized, one could possibly claim that just being around a couple like Emma and Regina, a couple that fairly exuded love and pheromones, drove her own need. But H.G. knew herself well enough to know that wasn't the only reason. She assumed instead that it had a lot to do with finally being able to touch Myka whenever she wanted, and right now, fresh as they were, she wanted to be close to her all the time. She was glad they weren't at the warehouse under Artie's watchful gaze.

The door to Henry's room was slightly ajar, but there were no sounds coming from inside. For one long second Regina's heart dropped as she remembered that Henry didn't live here anymore, and she wondered if he was really inside the room. She pushed the door open quietly, mentally preparing herself for an empty room. What she found instead, however, brought a large smile to her face.

Henry was sleeping soundly, curled up into an equally asleep Archie on the bed. Pete was lying in front of the bed, breathing deeply in slumber. As she opened the door wider she could see Steve sitting up against the wall by the window, reading a comic book from the stack he had sitting by his side. Claudia had her head in his lap, her laptop propped up against her raised legs, quietly typing away. They both looked up at the group of people in the doorway and waved, grinning. Claudia put down her laptop and stood, patting Jinks on the head as she walked over to the others. They went out into the hallway and closed the door.

"Adorable," Myka muttered and it wasn't clear who she was talking about.

Claudia grinned. "Henry and Archie conked out pretty quickly," she said softly. "And Pete's playing catch-up. I don't think he slept on the flight from Hawai'i."

Regina shot Emma a look. "Henry's not been sleeping too well lately," Emma explained. "I think seeing Archie and not having to be angry at you any more relaxed him enough to allow him to sleep."

"We should let them sleep then," Regina whispered, throat tight at the thought of her son having nightmares. "I don't know what my mother did to Archie, but I'm positive getting a good night's sleep was not part of her hospitality."

Claudia nodded. "Yeah, he looked pretty tired as soon as he sat down," she agreed. She looked at H.G. and Myka, noticing their linked hands for the first time. "Finally," she whooped as quietly as she could in her excitement. "About damn time!" She hugged the two women. "When did that happen? Here? Was it the love mojo these two have going on?" she asked, pointing at Emma and Regina.

Myka laughed. "Thanks, Claude," she replied. "And yes, here, and possibly because we're away from the warehouse-"

"And Daddy Grumps?"

H.G. snorted. "Possibly."

"Anyway," Claudia said, still grinning. "I've been looking at the town map-"

"How did you get _that_?" Emma asked.

"Sorry, hacked your computer," Claudia said, giving Regina an apologetic look. "Remind me to make your system safer before we leave."

Regina nodded, not all that bothered. She didn't keep anything incriminating on her computer anyway, and it wasn't like Emma didn't already know every little thing about her. And Emma was the only one who mattered. "Go on."

"And I think I found the perfect spot for tonight's show," Claudia continued. "I have two Tesla grenades in my bag, and I think we're ready to roll." She looked at the two couples. "I'm going to go back in there and keep an eye on the guys ... so why don't you go and, you know, take a nap ... or something?" She blushed a little and looked at her black Chucks.

Myka gave her a bright smile."Thanks, Claude, we might just do that." She pulled the smaller woman into a short hug.

"'kay," Claudia squeaked against Myka's shoulder, before she turned and quietly went back into Henry's room.

H.G. turned to Regina. "You heard Claudia," she remarked softly. "Let's all take some time."

"But-"

"Henry is in good hands," H.G. reminded her in a whisper close to her ear, "and Emma looks about ready to crawl out of her skin. Do something about that, won't you? That can't be good for her, for tonight. We should all be as focused as possible, I think. Don't you agree?"

All she got in reply was a raised eyebrow that told her that Regina knew perfectly well that she was being played. H.G. shrugged unrepentantly and gave her a wide grin as she pulled Myka towards the guest bedroom.

"Hey, Helena," Regina mock-whispered just as H.G. was about to close the door behind her and Myka. "I soundproofed your room. Enjoy it."

She grinned widely and looked at Emma, who beamed at her, then pulled her in for a kiss. "Shall we, Princess?" Regina asked against Emma's lips.

With a smile Emma pulled her along the hallway and into their room.

/|||\\\

Cora appeared on the ship in a cloud of smoke and whirled around to face Hook. "These idiots are actually making it so much easier for me," she crowed.

"What do you mean?"

"They're all gathering tonight to determine my daughter's fate," she explained, "which will undoubtedly be gruesome." She sounded delighted. "So I'm just going to take care of all of them in one place."

"Didn't you say you wanted to take them back?" Hook asked. "And just kill Snow White?"

"Yes, well," Cora said with an evil smile. "This is just too good an opportunity to pass up, isn't it?"

"Do you need me for anything?"

Cora snorted. "Yeah, right." She shook her head. "You're free to go after your crocodile tonight. I'm assuming he won't show up at the town meeting."

Hook nodded. "Yes, good." He stood up straight and began to collect an assortment of weapons. "I'm ready to go."

Cora enveloped him in a vortex of smoke and sent him to Gold's Pawn Shop in Storybrooke. "Happy hunting," she muttered. "Goodbye, Rumplestiltskin."

/|||\\\

"Any idea what we're actually going to tell people tonight at the meeting?" David asked as he handed Snow a cup of hot cocoa.

"Like I told everyone," Snow replied, "we're going to talk about Regina's future." Snow watched David as he took a seat across from her at the table. "It's just not going to be what everyone expects."

David studied his wife. "Let me guess," he said slowly. "You want to reinstate her as mayor?"

Snow nodded. "Somebody needs to do it, and if we're being honest, she did a great job."

"Yeah," David agreed. "But it's going to be a tough sell."

Snow snorted. "It's going to be close to impossible even with Archie alive and well, which is why I'm really hoping Regina can send Cora back to where she came from."

"That would certainly help," David agreed. "But of course ..."

"Of course the easiest way is when they see that she's Emma's true love," Snow finished for him. "Just like it worked for us."

"You think that the people will forgive Regina because Emma's the savior and she loves her?" David asked, sounding doubtful.

"They're not going to forgive her," Snow replied. "I don't even know if I can ever truly forgive her." She shook her head. "But I hope they'll refrain from wanting her dead for Emma's sake."

"They will," David stated softly. "As long as we show them that we're willing to accept her."

Snow sighed. "Are we?" she wondered for the umpteenth time, this time aloud.

"Snow," David urged. "We are. Or at least we will be. For Emma."

Snow nodded. "Anything for our girl."

/|||\\\

H.G. and Myka softly closed the door behind them. "What did Regina mean?" Myka asked. "About the room being soundproof?"

"Magic," H.G. replied. "I think she decided to do everyone a favor and make sure we can't be heard ... and neither can they." She smiled softly at the blush that crept up Myka's face. "Don't be embarrassed, darling," she whispered. "It's not like we _have_ to make use of it ..."

Myka smirked. "Oh, but I want to," she replied, her voice suddenly sultry. "When will I get another opportunity to try and make you scream?"

H.G. leaned in and pressed her lips to Myka's. "I'm sure there are artifacts we could use to soundproof our rooms at home," she whispered between two kisses.

"Hmm, maybe," Myka replied, distracted by the lips that were now moving down the column of her throat. "Don't want to explain that to Artie, though."

H.G. chuckled against Myka's throat. "I suppose you have a point, darling." She pulled Myka's shirt out of her pants and made quick work of the buttons. "You're so beautiful," she breathed once Myka was naked from the waist up.

Myka blushed a little harder. "You're one to talk," she said softly. "You're the beautiful one, Helena." She pushed a lock of hair behind H.G.'s ear. "Inside and out."

"Like you, darling," H.G. whispered as she popped the button on Myka's jeans. "Please don't disagree with me," she warned gently when Myka looked like she was about to protest. "You're one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. Believe me." She looked into Myka's eyes until she saw the slight nod. Only then did she kneel to remove Myka's jeans and boots.

"You're awfully overdressed," Myka mumbled, uncomfortably aware of her own nakedness in front of a fully dressed H.G.

"Why don't you change that?" H.G. asked with a grin, taking a step back from Myka and opening her arms wide in invitation.

Myka got to work on the tiny buttons on H.G.'s vest and shirt, moaning a little in frustration when her fingers didn't work fast enough. "I guess I should be glad it's not a Victorian dress, huh?" she asked rhetorically.

H.G. laughed. "Dear God, yes," she said with a wide grin. "Not that I wore them unless I absolutely had to."

Myka tilted her head to the side. "Will you some day, for me?" she asked quietly.

"Wear a Victorian dress? Of course, darling." She took one of Myka's hands and pressed a kiss to the knuckles. "You need only ask, and if I can make it happen, I will."

Myka grinned. "Good to know." She quickly finished undressing her lover, torn between wanting to take her time and wanting to not be the only naked person in the room.

Once they were both bare, H.G. pulled Myka into a full body hug and kissed her softly, adoringly. Reverently, she trailed a fingertip from dark eyebrows, down Myka's nose, over soft lips, along a pulse point, down the breastbone and over the dips and curves of Myka's stomach. She stopped her touch a fraction of an inch before she got to where she knew Myka wanted her.

When Helena came to the end of her slow and sensual exploration, Myka was hardly able to stand, let alone move. All vital resources had pooled in her core and were waiting for the touch that would drive her over the edge. "Helena, please." Myka's voice was breathy and hoarse. "Please touch me."

In response, H.G. completely removed her hands from Myka's body and waited a for a heartbeat, then another. Then she leaned in and her tongue started a surprise attack on Myka's breasts, licking from one to the other in a long, uninterrupted journey that ended with her lips closed around a hardened nipple, sucking gently at first, then more forcefully. Myka threw her head back and moaned loudly, showing Helena just how brilliant a move that was.

Myka's legs were beginning to weaken under the sensual assault and she held onto Helena's body, digging her nails into the soft skin at her lover's slender hips. "I don't think I can stand much longer," she moaned.

"Oh, I'm sure you can," H.G. murmured against a nipple, her breath making Myka shiver. She slowly kissed her way down Myka's body, lowering herself to her knees. "Hold onto me, darling."

Myka dug her hands into H.G.'s shoulders, leaving marks when a tongue reached out to touch her clit. She groaned when she felt warm lips kissing her core, a warm tongue caressing every fold. She didn't even realize it when she started muttering a string of _please, please, please_ under her breath.

H.G. grinned devilishly against Myka's center. She knew she couldn't drag this out as much as she wanted to if she didn't want Myka to fall over, so she wrapped her lips around Myka's clit and entered her with two fingers.

"Oh, yes," Myka exclaimed loudly, which earned her another deep thrust.

"Let me hear you, darling," Helena encouraged her. "I want to hear how I make you feel." She twisted her fingers inside Myka with every thrust, driving Myka closer and closer to the edge, bringing out louder groans every time.

"Please, Helena," Myka begged. "Make me come, please." She moaned loudly as Helena raked her teeth gently over her clit. "Oh, God."

H.G. wrapped her lips around the bundle of nerves and flicked her tongue against it as fast as she could. She curled her fingers forward and thrust even faster, intent on giving Myka the release she craved. The result was almost instantaneous. Myka came with a hoarse cry, knees buckling as her orgasm rushed through her body. H.G. held her up as best she could but they ended up crashing to the floor in a heap nonetheless, Myka panting heavily, H.G. sporting a huge, self-satisfied grin.

"Thank you," H.G. said once Myka's breath had calmed a little.

Myka laughed softly. "Shouldn't I be thanking you?" She curled into her lover's body, sated and content. "God, Helena ..."

Helena shook her head. "Thank you for allowing me to love you. After everything ..." She pressed a tender kiss against Myka's forehead.

"Believe me, Helena," Myka whispered, "that is entirely my pleasure." She pressed her palm against H.G.'s face and brushed her thumb against her lips. " _Now_, can we please move to the bed? So I can make you scream?"

"By all means, darling. By all means."

/|||\\\

As soon as the door closed behind them, Emma pulled Regina into her body and seared her lips with a kiss that tasted of passion and not a little desperation. It took Regina a second to respond, but then she returned the kiss with ardor, tangling her hands in silky blonde hair and pulling Emma closer.

When they finally parted for air, Regina cupped Emma's face between her hands and looked into her lover's eyes. The stormy green stare was constantly moving from her eyes to her lips and back, and made her suddenly feel self-conscious. Regina cleared her throat, trying to break the tension, and when that didn't change anything, she tenderly rubbed her thumbs across the taller woman's cheeks. "Emma," she breathed quietly, "what's wrong, dear?"

_Good question, _Emma thought. _I'm scared. I'm scared shitless that your mother could take you away from me, now that I've finally got you. _She decided in a split-second that this was something she couldn't tell Regina, but the thought of losing her made her cling tighter to the woman in her arms, holding onto her for dear life. _And then there's this hunger I feel for you, _her mind wryly added as her body reacted strongly to the close contact.

"Emma," Regina croaked. "Can't ... breathe."

"God, I'm sorry," Emma mumbled, loosening her hold at once. "I didn't mean … didn't … I just want to …" She gave Regina a sheepish grin as a substitute for an apology.

Regina was getting slightly worried. Emma's behavior downstairs, in the hallway and for the first few breathless moments in this room had led her to believe that Emma had wanted to be alone with her to make love. Looking at Emma now, however, made her suspect that there was more going on behind those green eyes.

Before Regina could say anything, Emma continued to speak softly. "It's just that … I need to feel you close to me … I need to know you're there … and safe," she stammered. "I don't know what's going on with me ..."

The room was quiet for a few seconds, with Emma feeling slightly embarrassed at sounding so needy and Regina unsure of what to say to reassure her. Suddenly, Emma sighed deeply, as did Regina, and the twin sounds broke the tension. Emma started to grin self-deprecatingly just as Regina pulled her head closer to press a soft kiss on the tip of Emma's nose. "I love you," Regina said simply, realizing that would be reassurance enough. "I need you, and I need you safe … the feeling is quite mutual, dear."

"God, I love you, too!" Emma blurted and pulled Regina into another hug, although she was careful not to crush her this time. They pulled back at the same time and looked into each other's eyes, seeing love and devotion, and understanding. With another sigh, this time a happier sound, Emma kissed her lover's forehead. "Wanna cuddle?"

Regina laughed in surprise as she pulled Emma over to the bed. Spending an afternoon cuddling with the love of her life sounded fantastic, but that really wasn't what she had expected after that kiss and Emma's not very veiled hints downstairs. "No sex then?"

Emma bit her lower lip. "I want you ... _so fucking much_ it hurts," she tried to explain. "I'm so ... my body's almost vibrating ... but you said downstairs ..." She trailed off and picked an invisible piece of lint from her jeans.

Regina started unbuttoning Emma's shirt, trailing her fingertips from button to button along the skin beneath. She felt goosebumps erupt along the way, and bit back a smile. She wasn't going to let Emma suffer. _At least not too long._ "Are you cold, dear?" she asked, pretending to sound concerned.

"Hnng," came the incoherent reply. Emma's skin was flushed and she was beginning to tremble visibly. "What are ... you doing?" Emma breathed, her hands clawing into the bedspread. "This is ... not cuddling."

Regina spread the shirt open and pushed it off Emma's shoulders. Her fingertips ran along the border of Emma's bra, dipping slightly below the fabric. She dragged a fingernail across a hardened nipple, pulling a strangled groan from Emma's body.

"Baby, please ..." Emma was close to begging.

_Baby?_ Regina raised an eyebrow. _Well, that's new._ She wasn't sure what she thought of it, but it didn't sound _all_ bad coming from Emma, she supposed. She reached behind Emma and expertly opened the bra. "I'm going to take care of you, Emma," she promised. "Let me make you feel good."

Regina quickly shed her own clothes before focusing on Emma once more. She removed the shirt and bra, leaving kisses behind wherever she pleased, then took care of her jeans and panties. Once they were both naked, Regina pushed Emma up the bed, and gently covered the lean body with her own. The feeling of their nipples rubbing together pulled another groan from deep within Emma's chest, but Regina took the sound away in a hot and heady kiss.

"Are you trying ... to kill me?" Emma gasped when they finally broke away from each other. The kiss had left her even wetter. She could see the glint in Regina's eyes before she moved. "I can't ... believe it."

"Believe what?" Regina asked around the nipple she was just about to take between her teeth.

"Oh, jeez," Emma groaned as Regina tugged on her sensitive nipple. "Oh, God," she groaned. "I can't … believe … you're taking advantage … of my … state." Emma was barely able to think, much less speak under her lover's skillful attentions.

"And what state is that, dear?" Regina began tracing her lover's stomach with her tongue, eliciting another, deeper groan. She watched as the muscles quivered and she experimentally traced random lines all over Emma's belly with her index finger. "Tell me."

Emma was fast getting to the point where speaking was impossible, and she couldn't believe Regina wanted her to talk. "My state, huh?" She felt her body go tense as it tried to predict Regina's next move. When Regina crawled up and bit her earlobe, she felt it all the way down to her center. She struggled to speak. "Hot. Crazy. Wanting. You have me … yearning … for your touch." Regina moved back to her breasts and started alternating kisses and small bites, switching from one nipple to the other. "I want to … make love … to you too," Emma whispered hoarsely, "but I'm … so wired ... can't focus ..."

Regina stopped her teasing for a moment and lay alongside Emma, kissing her softly, taking the edge off her intensity. Then she looked into Emma's eyes. "I know," she said with a small, playfully evil grin, "exactly how I want you." She kissed Emma again, feeling the body next to her tense, then relax under the hand that was moving over it again. "Unless you don't want me to," Regina whispered teasingly, making Emma squirm. "Do you want me to stop?"

"God, no," Emma groaned. "Don't stop, baby, please. I need you." She stretched her body out, opening her legs slightly. She took Regina's hand and guided it to her damp curls, letting her lover feel the hot wetness. "See what you do to me?" She pressed Regina's fingers against her hardened clit. "I need you now."

"God, you're so wet," Regina said on an uneven breath. She moved her fingers, exploring the folds with her fingertips, dipping into her opening, marveling at the clenched muscles that motion provoked. Suddenly she had the irresistible urge to put her mouth where her hand was. "I have to taste you," she growled. She slowly kissed and caressed her way down Emma's body.

Emma grew more aroused with every kiss and nibble. "Please, baby." She prayed that Regina made it to her goal before she came. She bit back a loud moan when Regina finally covered her clit with her lips and gently flicked her tongue against it. "Please," Emma moaned loudly, "please, please."

"Please what?" Regina asked between nibbles and kissed her lover's center. She looked up with a grin and waited until Emma's eyes opened and found hers. "Like this?" She trailed her tongue along the labia. Emma arched her back in answer and wrapped her hand in Regina's hair, keeping her head in place. Regina's tongue was insistent, driving Emma's arousal higher and higher. Emma was writhing now, moaning, gasping for breath. She had her eyes tightly closed and was lost to the searing delight between her legs.

Regina let the fingers of her right hand rest against Emma's opening, teasingly dipping into its warmth with one fingertip, then two. Emma's stomach muscles clenched and her whole upper body rose from the bed when the muscles contracted. "Please, Regina …"

Regina crawled up the long, lean body beneath her and kissed Emma hard. "Please _what_?" she repeated, enjoying the sense of power she felt. _There's always going to be a bit of the Evil Queen inside of me._

Emma was so close to the edge she felt the first tremors of an orgasm when Regina's tongue dipped into her mouth once, then again. Regina was all she wanted, all she needed, and if she had to beg for it, she would. "Fuck me," she ground out between harsh breaths. "Please, fuck me."

Swiftly, Regina entered her with two fingers, pressing her thumb against Emma's clit at the same time. She hardly had time to enjoy the velvet heat when the muscles around her fingers clenched and drew her even deeper. She almost came herself, so thrilling was the feeling. "Come for me, princess," Regina whispered, slowly withdrawing her fingers and pumping them back in hard. She pressed herself against Emma's muscular thigh. "Come for me."

And Emma came, her whole body stretched tautly as she erupted with a loud cry that Regina swallowed with a loving kiss. When she could feel Emma relax she began to withdraw her fingers, but was stopped by a hand on her wrist. "Stay," Emma whispered against her mouth.

For a few seconds nothing but their breaths and the soft sound of their kisses could be heard. Then Regina couldn't stop herself from pressing her body against Emma's, from sliding her swollen clit against Emma's thigh. Emma realized in her post-orgasmic haze that her lover still needed release, and reached between them to touch Regina where she needed her the most.

"I'm close," Regina groaned. She slowly withdrew her fingers from Emma's center and leaned forward to put her hands on either side of Emma's shoulders to get more leverage. "So close."

Emma tensed her thigh between Regina's legs, reached between them, and pressed her fingers against Regina's opening. "Let me touch you, baby," she rasped. "I need to touch you."

Regina was going out of her mind. Emma's fingers dipped into her with every move of her hips, and it was driving her to the edge fast. "Yes," she pleaded. "I need to feel you." She groaned. "Inside, now, please."

Emma leisurely entered Regina with two fingers and began a slow, deliberate pumping in rhythm with Regina's hips. "I've got you, Regina," she whispered.

Regina pressed herself hard against Emma's thigh. "Harder, please," she almost sobbed. Emma withdrew her fingers and drove them back inside hard and fast, driving Regina over the edge. She came with a long groan, gripping the pillow hard, arching her back.

Emma thought she'd never seen a more beautiful sight, and toppled over the edge once more right after her with a soft sigh. Regina collapsed in her arms with a moan, pressing a soft kiss against Emma's clavicle. Emma wrapped her arms around her, feeling utterly content. When she opened her eyes a moment later to look at Regina, she realized they were surrounded by a blue mist. "Huh," she muttered.

"Huh what?" Regina asked drowsily, her body so relaxed it was almost melting into Emma's.

"We're covered in magic dust," Emma explained.

Regina cracked open one eye to take a look. "Oh," she breathed. "Beautiful." She closed her eye again and promptly fell asleep.

Emma watched the blue mist settle on their bodies, seeping back inside of them. Something about the mist niggled at her brain, made her wonder about possibilities, but she forgot all about it in the next second. Her eyes grew heavy and she tightened her hold on Regina for a long moment. "Love you," she mumbled almost incoherently just as she was falling asleep.

The blue mist brightened for a moment, then vanished into Emma's body.

/|||\\\

Shortly after five everyone was gathered in the kitchen. Myka and Steve had offered to make snacks, but nobody was particularly hungry. Regina's stomach had actually turned at the thought of food.

Now the group was gathered around a printout of the town map. "Are we clear on what's going to happen?" Regina asked, meeting everyone's eyes except for Emma's and Henry's, knowing that her lover and their son weren't particularly happy with the plan. "I'm going to intercept my mother here," she pointed to a spot on the map, "while you hide there and there." She pointed to two buildings close to the first point. "And once I draw her close enough, you're going to hit her with those Tesla grenades."

"And once she's out, we snag her," Pete confirmed.

"We'll leave the bagging and tagging for later," Claudia added.

Emma growled. "I really think I should go with you."

"We've talked about that, dear," Regina said, unconsciously using her best mayor voice. "She needs to believe I'm alone and easy prey." She took Emma's hand. "It's the only way." That, and she wanted Emma far away from her mother and knowing that Emma would never keep out of the fight, this was the second best option.

"What if something goes wrong?" Emma asked, still not convinced.

"We'll deal with that if and when it happens," Regina replied softly.

Emma sighed deeply. "I _hate_ this," she muttered. "It feels wrong."

"I know," Regina replied. "But it's the only way." _At least I don't make you stay here with Henry and Archie. _"Trust me."

Emma couldn't do anything but nod. "Of course," she said softly. "I just don't trust your mother."

Emma's phone rang. "Yes? ... Okay, thanks. ... Yes, we'll be careful ... See you soon."

"Let me guess," Regina said as Emma stashed her phone in her back pocket. "Snow?"

"Yeah. Hook was just seen entering Gold's shop, so I guess he's out of the way." Emma sighed. "We should probably go."

Regina nodded. "Everyone-"

"We heard," Pete said, already moving out the door, followed by Claudia and Steve. "Good luck."

Emma turned to Archie who was standing to the side, Henry right next to him, sulking, disappointed and angry that he wasn't allowed to go with everyone else. "Please ..." Emma started.

"Please take care of our son, Dr. Hopper," Regina finished for Emma. "And Henry, for _once_ please stay where we tell you to stay." She pulled her son into a tight hug. "If you can't do it for me, do it for Emma. I can't fight my ... Cora and be worried about you and Emma at the same time."

"But Emma still gets to go," Henry whined.

"And I wish she didn't," Regina said matter-of-factly.

"Henry, please." The warning in Emma's voice was clear.

Henry nodded with a sigh. "Fine, I promise," he said sincerely, although both Emma and Regina could see that it cost him. "Please be careful," he added quietly. "Both of you."

"I'll keep an eye on him," Archie promised.

"Thank you," Regina said and pulled him into a short hug that surprised everyone still present. Archie blushed and stumbled a little as he led Henry out the door and back upstairs.

"We have to go, Emma," Myka gently reminded from the doorway, where she and H.G. were waiting.

"One sec," Emma said, not taking her eyes off Regina. "I ... We ... I feel we should say something meaningful to each other," she said quietly, looking into dark eyes. "But all I can think is _please _let me stay by your side."

Regina pulled Emma into a fierce kiss, trying to pour her feelings into this one, too short contact. "We'll say anything we want to say once we've won, dear," she whispered. "We'll have all the time in the world."

Emma nodded. "You are not allowed to die, you hear me?" Her voice was scratchy, but insistent and a tiny bit desperate. "If you get yourself killed, I'll haunt you for the rest of my life," she warned with a watery grin.

"Shouldn't that be the other way round?" Regina asked softly, ignoring the tear rolling down her cheek.

"Don't care."

"In that case: ditto." One more kiss, then Regina pushed Emma towards the door. "Go now." _Please be safe, and for God's sake don't do anything stupid and heroic. _

The front door closed, the sound impossibly loud in the now quiet house. Regina checked the clock as she waited a few minutes to allow the others to get to their hiding spots, just taking deep breaths and trying to focus. "Well, mother," she finally said to the empty room. "Let's see if love is weakness or strength, shall we?"

She disappeared in a plume of blue smoke, wondering if she would feel better about this fight if she knew the answer to that question.

/|||\\\

Regina appeared close to the library and turned 360 degrees to get the lay of the land. The streets around her were eerily empty, just as they had planned. She could hear cars a few blocks away, driving in the direction of the convent. _They're all just too happy to listen to my death sentence or whatever fate they think I deserve._ For a second, doubt crept in and made her stand completely still. _What if Snow really did sentence her to death? Would Emma run away with her? Or would she choose the parents she had so recently regained? And what about Henry? _

Regina felt a wave of nausea as she imagined Emma leading Henry away while she was being tied to a stake to be burned. She shook her head to get rid of the images, unsure where they were suddenly coming from. There was a short feeling of panic that she knew wasn't her own, then it was replaced by warmth that felt like sunshine hitting her skin on a cold day. She closed her eyes in relief. _Emma. Safe, and close by._

Regina spread her arms and took in the air around her, eyes still closed, feeling for her mother's magic. _There it was. The dark metallic aftertaste of Cora's sadistic brand of dark magic. _Even as Evil Queen, Regina's magic had never acquired a taste this dark, this ... soulless.

Regina faced the spot where she knew her mother was hiding and opened her eyes. "Hello, mother," she said silkily to the empty street.

Cora appeared exactly where Regina expected her to, in full regal splendor, dressed to the nines in black velvet and a diamond-studded choker. "Regina," she cooed sweetly, opening her arms wide. "My darling, darling daughter."

Regina felt like throwing up. They were standing about 20 yards apart, but Regina could still see the smirk on her mother's face. The grin that told her that her mother thought she's already won. "What are you doing here, mother?" she asked, and a tiny part of her actually was curious enough to want to know the answer.

From her hiding spot, Emma watched Cora appear and she started to inch closer to where Regina was standing, unable to bear the distance between them and the feeling of helplessness. She kept her eyes on Cora as she moved, well hidden inside a corner building, H.G. and Myka at her heels.

"I've come to take you home, dearest," Cora replied. "And to solve your problems, like a good mother should."

"My problems?" _You are my main problem right now._

"Of course, sweetheart," Cora said easily. "Now that your silly little curse has ended and you're at the mercy of Snow White and her unspeakably uncouth daughter, you must feel horribly alone and maybe even a little overwhelmed." She snickered a little. "I was told there was no magic in this place." Her voice held a tinge of utter disgust. "So I'm assuming you're even a little rusty in that department too." She twirled her hand and looked fondly at the fireball that appeared in it. "Not that you were ever any good at magic," she added as an afterthought.

"How would you know, mother?" Regina asked, feeling surprisingly calm and centered.

Cora laughed. "You were never any good at _anything_, daughter, so why would magic be any different?"

Regina seemed to consider her words. "I don't think you know enough about me to be a judge of that."

Cora started pacing from side to side a little, watching Regina like a hawk. "You've changed," she finally said.

"I got a haircut."

"And resorted to wearing this abominable peasant garb," Cora said dismissively, not detecting the heavy dose of sarcasm in Regina's voice.

Regina mentally congratulated Emma and herself for choosing the most casual clothes she could find for this fight. She straightened her shoulders beneath the black leather jacket that she had magicked over from Emma's apartment as they were getting dressed. _You said I'd feel closer to you, Emma, and you were right. _"Why, thank you, mother," she answered sweetly. "It's always a good idea to try and fit in."

Emma snorted softy under her breath. _Fitting in, yeah right._ She found herself wishing Regina would try to fit in like that more often, though, with her tight designer jeans, leather jacket and black stiletto boots.

"You were not meant to fit in, child," Cora scolded. "You were meant to rule these peasants by my side. You and me, the most fearsome queens our world has ever seen."

"I've told you before, mother, that I never wanted power. You and Rumpelstiltskin made me into the queen you so desired as your daughter."

"Yes," Cora agreed. "And then you didn't even let me enjoy the fruits of my labor." Cora took a step closer, raising an eyebrow when Regina took a step back. "Silly child. You've never known what was best for you. First that stable boy and now this child that you call your son. How often do I have to tell you that love is weakness?"

"He _is_ my son." Regina's hands clenched into fists and her magic flared up.

"That's not what the townsfolk here are saying," Cora said coldly. "They don't seem to consider you his mother." She paused. "They don't seem to consider you much of anything at all, really. You're pathetic."

Regina growled low in her throat and without much conscious thought a fireball appeared in her hand. She threw the ball at Cora, who deflected it with a lazy swipe of her hand, and threw back a huge shard of ice.

Emma gasped as she watched Regina melt the ice before it came too close, and turned to Myka. "Now would be a really good time for one of those Tesla things," she said pointedly. "I think they're done talking."

Myka pulled out her cell phone. "Claudia, what's the hold up? ... Damn ... No, okay, we'll think of something."

"That does not sound good," H.G. commented softly. "What happened?"

"They're not in position yet," Myka replied with a sigh. "Apparently they got held up by traffic, of all things."

Emma gave her a disbelieving stare. "Traffic? This is Storybrooke, not the Boston turnpike."

"Two words," Myka said. "Town meeting."

"Oh, crap."

"Yeah, it obviously managed to achieve our goal: get everyone to the convent," Myka said. "We just didn't think about the downside."

"How long?" Emma asked, not taking her eyes off Regina and Cora, who were now trading fireballs back and forth.

"A minute or two, not more."

Cora held up one hand to deflect a fireball, but didn't return one of her own. "I can do this much longer than you can," she taunted Regina. "Why don't you stop this nonsense and join me?" She smiled sweetly. "You know you want to," she coaxed. "We're going to kill Snow White and that daughter of hers and then we're going home."

"What about my son?" Regina asked back, stopping her magic attacks for the moment. Emma stared at her across the distance. _Please stay strong, Regina._

"Of course we can take your son," Cora agreed, voice cloyingly sweet. "And I'll help you raise him to be our rightful heir."

Regina shivered at the words and the dark intent she could feel behind them. "Over my dead body," she growled.

"Well, if you insist," Cora replied with a shrug and disappeared in a pillar of smoke.

"Where did she go?" Emma hissed. Myka and H.G. could only shrug.

Regina felt the same confusion as Emma. _Come on, mother, where are you? _Suddenly, there was a sound directly behind her and Regina whirled around to face ... _Emma_. "What ...?" she asked, before their magic kicked in and told her that this was not her lover.

The short moment of hesitation was enough for Cora to gain the upper hand. She reached out and pushed her hand into her daughter's chest. Regina cried out in pain and fear.

Emma doubled over, groaning. "No," she said hoarsely.

"Claudia, the bombs now!" Myka shouted into her Farnsworth, giving up the need for silence.

"She's too close to Regina," came the tinny voice over the speaker. "And with her hand in her chest like that ... I don't know what would happen ... I'm not sure we should risk it."

Emma growled, somewhere deep in her throat and straightened. She wrestled H.G.'s Tesla from her hand and started to run out the door and towards where Regina was writhing in her mother's grasp.

"Crap!" Myka yelled. "Helena, they're too far for our Teslas ... come on." She turned to run after Emma.

"Myka, wait!" H.G. stopped her. "Let's take a short cut." She dragged Myka upstairs to a large window, pulled out her grappler from a hidden holster in her coat and took careful aim at a rooftop not too far from Regina and Cora. She could see Emma getting closer to the two women, although she seemed to be in almost as much pain as Regina was.

H.G. shot her grappling hook at the roof and tightened the wire, then grabbed Myka round the waist. "Just like in California," she said with a confident grin as she pushed them off the window sill and started the swing towards their goal.

Myka took out her Tesla and aimed it at Cora. It was difficult while keeping a grip on H.G. as well, but finally she managed to get her in her sights.

Just then Emma got close enough for Cora to notice her, and she barely managed to roll out of the way of the fireball that was thrown her way. A second later, Myka and H.G. got in range, and Myka took her shot. The energy bolt hit Cora squarely in the side, throwing her several feet away from Regina, but she still managed to hit her daughter with something dark and swirly. Regina dropped to the ground like a stone.

Emma didn't even realize she was screaming in pain as she crawled the last few feet towards her lover, Tesla in hand. She saw Cora twitch once and didn't think twice about hitting her again. She held onto the trigger until there was no more energy coming from the Tesla. Cora's body stilled.

H.G. and Myka ran over from where they had landed, and heavier treads indicated that Steve, Pete, and Claudia were running towards them as well.

Emma ignored them all as she pulled Regina into her arms. "Come on, Regina," she mumbled into dark hair, "wake up!" She felt a hand on her shoulder, but didn't look up to see whose it was. She assumed it was Helena or Myka, and that was all the thought she could spare them right now.

"Is she ..." Pete didn't finish the question.

Emma shook her head. "No," she replied hoarsely. "She can't be. I told her she wasn't allowed ..." Her voice broke at the thought. "No, she has to be okay."

H.G. got down on her knees on the other side of Regina's body. "Emma," she said gently. "You can feel Regina," she reminded her. "Try and focus on that." Then she tenderly placed her fingers on Regina's neck to check for a pulse. Nothing. She pressed her fingers more firmly against the pulse point. _Don't do this to us, darling. Come back._

Emma closed her eyes. She felt along their connection and for a moment all she could feel was a dark emptiness. Her heart dropped. "Don't you dare leave me here alone," she whispered hoarsely. She pulled Regina's face closer and pressed their lips together. _Work, dammit!_ Suddenly, there was a spark of something warm. "She's in there," she croaked before kissing Regina again, and H.G. sighed in relief as she felt the faint, but steady pulse.

Regina slowly opened her eyes. "Ouch."

Emma laughed through her tears. "You're stealing my lines now?"

"Sorry," Regina muttered. "Why are you crying?"

"You ..." Emma swallowed, unable to get the words out. "You ..."

"You ... were gone for a minute there," H.G. explained softly. "Emma brought you back."

Regina's eyes widened. "My mother ... yes ... she hit me with a dark curse." Her eyes met Emma's. "Looks like you really are my savior, dear."

"Always."

Claudia inched a little closer. "Did you really die?"

Regina could feel all eyes on her as she shook her head. "No, not dead," she replied. "My mo... Cora hit me with a curse that works on the mind. It sends you to a void, a place so dark you only wish you were dead."

"And true love's kiss breaks any curse," Claudia mused out loud. "Awesome."

"Indeed," H.G. added. "Welcome back, darling."

Regina suddenly sat up. "Cora?" she asked. "Did you ...?"

"We got her," Myka replied. "The question is ..."

"... what are we going to do with her?" Emma continued.

Pete cleared his throat. "We talked about that on the way over here and we sort of came up with an idea." He looked at H.G. for a moment before focusing on his shoes. Claudia and Steve also gave H.G. a look.

Myka watched them, wondering what that was about. Then she put two and two together. "You can't be serious," she gasped.

H.G. had been following Myka's thought process and had come to the same conclusion. "I think it's a good idea," she said with a heavy heart. "If it's okay with Regina."

Myka stared at her. "Really?"

Emma cleared her throat. "Would you mind filling us in?"

Regina slowly got up from the ground, swaying a little as she tried to get her bearing. "If I'm reading this correctly," she explained, "they want to put Cora in something called the bronzer."

Emma stood next to Regina, steadying her with an arm around her waist. "Bronzer? What's that?"

"It's where we put the baddest of the bad, the evilest of evils," Pete said in an mock-ominous voice.

"It's where I spent the 20th century," H.G. added wryly.

Emma stared at her. "Wait? What?"

Myka jumped in. "Helena asked to be bronzed because she considered herself a danger to those around her-"

"It's a long story," H.G. said, not really in the mood to talk about it.

"... and she wanted to wake up in a better world than the one she was living in," Myka finished.

"Okay, that I can totally understand," Emma said. "So this bronzer thing is where you would stash people like Hitler and Stalin and Walt Disney, right?"

Regina burst out laughing. "Walt Disney?"

Emma shrugged. "I figured with the way he ruined every single one of those fairytale stories, he has to be evil."

Pete chuckled. "Well, good old Walt isn't there, although we do have his first drawing board somewhere in the warehouse. It-"

Steve interrupted him before he could get too deep into the story. "Stalin actually died the way you heard in the news, but Hitler could use the company."

"You're kidding, right?" Emma wasn't sure what to believe with these guys. All the warehouse agents shook their heads. "Oh, boy. Looks like it's the place where she belongs."

"We just need to get her there," Claudia reminded everyone. "And I personally would prefer it if we didn't have some crazy person with magic powers in our bronzer."

Regina smiled. "Oh, I'm sure Snow White and the Blue Fairy have already come up with a plan to stop _me_ from using magic." She didn't need to look at Emma to know she was wearing a sheepish grin. "We just have to convince them not to use it on me."

"Regina's right," Emma said with a light blush. "There's a bracelet that inhibits magic." She looked at Regina. "Sorry," she muttered.

"It's quite alright, dear," Regina whispered. "Nothing less than I would expect."

Behind them, Cora groaned. "Damn, she's coming to much faster than we thought she would," Pete said. "She's stubborn." He walked over to her, Steve in tow. "Double whammy?" They both pulled the trigger at the same time. "That should keep her down for a while."

"But the faster we can get that bracelet, the better," Steve added.

"I really want one of those Tesla guns," Emma muttered to nobody in particular. She was thinking of not giving back the one she had taken from H.G.

"I suggest we take Cora to my house and keep her under," Regina said. "And then Emma and I will go retrieve the bracelet and, I'm sure, Snow White and Prince Charming." She sighed.

Everyone nodded, and Steve and Pete walked off to get the cars.

"How are you feeling?" Emma asked softly, studying Regina's face.

Regina rolled her head and shoulders. "Exhausted," she admitted. "Let's just get through the day." She leaned her forehead against Emma's. "Let's not tell Henry, okay?"

Emma nodded. "Wouldn't know how to tell him that his mother died anyway." She swallowed.

"I didn't die."

"That's not what it felt like to me," Emma stated. "For a minute there, you were gone, and I never ever want to feel like that again."

Regina pulled her into a fierce hug. "I'm so, so sorry," she said, before kissing Emma softly, tenderly.

"Just don't do it again," Emma sniffed.

Regina just kissed her again. There were promises she wasn't going to make, if she couldn't guarantee keeping them.

Pete and Steve parked the cars next to them and proceeded to carry Cora to one of them, depositing her in the back seat.

"Do you want to drive back with Helena and Myka or ...?" Emma made a whirling motion with her arm.

Regina snapped her fingers, only producing a tiny puff of smoke. "I think I need to recharge my batteries before I can go anywhere with magic."

"Could you use me as a power source?" Emma reached out her hands.

"We'll see." She took Emma's hands and looked at H.G. and Myka. "Meet you back at the house?" Myka nodded and followed H.G. to the car. "If I can get us both there," Regina added to Emma with a self-deprecating grin.

"I trust you," Emma whispered as they were enveloped in bright blue smoke.

"I'm glad you do," Regina replied once they reappeared in the lobby of 108 Mifflin. Then she sagged in Emma's arms. "Damn," she sighed. "Don't know if it was the Tesla or my mother's curse, but ..."

Emma tightened her hold on Regina. "Yeah, you look like you're ready for a long nap." She moved Regina to the study and onto the couch there. "Sit, relax for a few minutes. I'll go talk to Henry."

"'kay," Regina mumbled, closing her eyes and drifting off.

"Be proud of yourself," Emma whispered. "You saved your town today, Madam Mayor."

Emma went upstairs to check on Henry and was pleasantly surprised to actually find him in his room, playing a card game with Archie. She stayed in the doorway for a moment, just watching her son, glad beyond belief that she wouldn't have to tell him that his mother had died. "Henry," she whispered, but he heard it like a shout.

"Mom!" he exclaimed as he ran over to hug her. "Everything okay? Did you beat Cora? Where's Mom?"

"Everything is fine, Henry," Emma muttered into his hair. "Your mom's resting downstairs."

"Resting?" Henry asked in a worried tone, and Emma cursed his perceptiveness. "Did something happen?"

Emma shook her head and ignored the knowing look Archie gave her over Henry's head. "No, no ... she just fought Cora and the magic took a lot out of her. She's just tired." She patted his shoulder. "Why don't you sneak downstairs and see for yourself? She's in the study."

Henry nodded and ran downstairs. Archie got up from his position on the bed and stood in front of Emma. "Would you like to talk about what really happened?" he asked softly.

Emma shook her head, but couldn't help the tears welling up in her eyes once more. "She died," she whispered. "Sort of." At Archie's questioning eyes, she added, "Dark curse."

"Ah," Archie said. "And you decided not to tell Henry?"

"It's not something I would ever know how to tell him, even if she did make it through just fine."

"Yes, I can imagine," Archie replied. "I would have helped."

"I know." Emma patted his arm.

They could hear the door downstairs, followed by voices. Emma turned on her heels and hurried downstairs making shushing noises and motions, but it was too late. Regina appeared in the doorway to the study. "It's fine, dear," she rasped when she saw Emma's frown.

H.G. walked straight over to Regina and pulled her in her arms, squeezing her tight. "I'm so very glad you're all right," she whispered fiercely. "It would have been a royal pain in the arse to have to find another friend like you."

"There isn't another friend like me," Regina whispered back. "And that's not how a Victorian lady speaks."

"Good thing I'm not a lady then," H.G. replied softly, grinning widely.

"Where do you want us to put your mother?" Steve asked from the door.

"In the study, I guess," Regina said and moved out of the way. "I'll put magic bindings on her, but to be safe ..."

"Yeah, no worries," Pete interrupted. "I'm gonna sit right on her with my Tesla in my hand."

"Thank you."

"I guess I'm off then." Emma met Regina's eyes and ruffled Henry's hair.

"Where are you going?" Henry asked.

"The convent, to let everyone know they're safe," Emma replied. "And to get something to block Cora's magic. Do you want to come along?"

Emma and Regina could see the indecision on his face. "It's fine," Regina encouraged him. "I'll be right here, and Emma might need you."

"I'm coming with you, too," Archie said. "It might be helpful to show them that I wasn't actually murdered."

"Great!" Henry's face lit up and he ran off to the door.

Emma grinned and shook her head. "Be right back," she whispered. "Try and get some rest."

/|||\\\

_It took Archie's sudden return from the dead and Snow threatening the Blue Fairy for her to hand over the bracelet, but apart from that the evening went smoothly enough, _Emma mused: Hook had been taken care of, Gold had explained with an evil grin at the meeting, and Cora was sitting in Regina's study, magic-inhibiting bracelet on her arm, still slightly dazed from the Teslas, handcuffed to the heavy desk, Pete standing guard. She wasn't speaking much, but when she was talking it was mostly incoherent babbling.

Regina had explained that it sounded like Cora was trying to remember spells, but most of it was indecipherable even to her. That was the moment when Pete sheepishly remembered to point out that repeated blasts with a Tesla could have some detrimental effect on memory, at least short-term.

Snow and David had insisted on coming back to the house – of course – claiming they wanted to hear the whole story about how Cora was beaten, and to let Regina know that she would be reinstated as mayor, if she so desired. She did. Snow had been a little frustrated by how few details everyone provided about the battle, until Emma had dragged her into the kitchen to explain why nobody was saying much in front of Henry.

Now the house was quieting down, even though it wasn't all that late. Henry had been sent home with his grandparents, mostly because Regina didn't want him anywhere near Cora. He had resisted, which had done wonders for Regina's heart and soul, but finally had consented to leave. His last words to Regina had been, "I'm coming back home tomorrow, Mom," which had made Regina cry happy tears.

Myka had called Artie to let him know that they were coming back to the Warehouse the next day, only to find out that he had taken the opportunity to take off to Atlanta to meet up with Dr. Calder for a few days. The agents realized that he wouldn't be there to meet them ... or to stop them from letting them use the bronzer on Cora, so they had decided to explain _that_ to him once it was done. That was until Mrs. Frederic had called Myka ten minutes later to ask if there was anything they might want to share. They _had_ shared, and they had gotten Mrs. Frederic's okay, but her voice had indicated that she expected a good, long, detailed explanation once they were back. Neither of them was looking forward to that conversation.

Emma stopped her wandering thoughts as she switched off the light in the bathroom and walked over to the bed. Regina was already curled up under the sheets, breathing deeply, giving Emma the opportunity to just watch her for a few moments. _So much had changed for them in the span of two days, little more than 24 hours, really. _She and Regina still had much to talk about, but there was no doubt in Emma's mind that what they had was true and everlasting. _They had proved that, hadn't they?_

"I can hear you thinking from here," Regina muttered, voice raspy from near-sleep. "Come to bed."

"Coming," Emma replied softly, pushing herself from the doorway. She was tired, both mentally and physically, and was looking forward to a night spent curled around the woman she loved. She crawled under the covers and pressed her body against Regina's, spooning her tightly. "G'night, baby," she whispered, lips pressed against the back of a bare shoulder.

"What's with the _baby_ thing all of a sudden?" Regina asked.

"Dunno," Emma replied, managing to somehow express a shrug verbally. "Do you really hate it? I could stop ..." _Knowing she probably wouldn't._

Regina was quiet for so long that Emma thought she had fallen asleep. "I don't mind," she finally said and Emma could hear the smile in her voice. "Ms. Swan."

_And damn if it didn't sound like a term of endearment._


	19. Epilogue

**A/N: The epilogue and the real, final ending. Thanks for the ride, everyone.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, not making any money.**

* * *

**1 week later**

Emma woke up with a smile, just like she had every morning for the past six days. Her arms tightened around the body next to her, enjoying the feel of their naked skin gliding together. She moaned quietly when her nipples hardened against a soft shoulder blade.

"You are insatiable," Regina murmured groggily.

"Good morning." Emma pressed a kiss against skin that smelled of them and a combination of sex and their magic. _Or maybe our sex is magic,_ Emma mused. She wasn't really all that awake yet. "Did you sleep well?"

Regina snorted. "An hour does not count as meaningful sleep, Ms. Swan."

"But it was worth it," Emma replied smugly.

Regina turned in her arms. "I never said it wasn't," she whispered before she caught Emma's lips in a tender kiss. "Good morning." Another kiss. "Are you enjoying your week?"

As promised, Emma had gotten her week alone with Regina. They had driven to a cabin that nobody had ever seen or heard of, as far away from the town as they could get while still staying within Storybrooke's borders. Emma had a suspicion that the cabin hadn't actually existed until they had needed it, but she didn't say anything to Regina.

Emma smiled at the woman in her arms. "The best week ever," she replied softly. "Exactly what I wanted and needed ... you, me, and every-"

"... available horizontal surface," Regina finished for her. "I know, dear." She smirked. "Don't forget all the vertical places either."

Emma's eyes rolled back in her head as she remembered some of the things they had done this past week. "Oh, believe me, I'm not ever forgetting any of this." She rolled over to cover Regina with her own body. "Thank you for this."

"No need to thank me," Regina whispered. "I needed this as much as you did." She looked away for a moment. "It's just that ..."

"You miss Henry," Emma stated. "So do I," she admitted. "Would you like to go back early?"

Regina shook her head. "No, I promised you a week," she said. "So you'll get today and tonight, and then we'll go home and smother our son with love and affection until he's mortally embarrassed."

"I do love your evil streak, my queen," Emma replied with a glint in her eye.

"Prove it, princess."

Just then, both their phones rang. With twin groans they separated and answered. The conversations were short, and afterwards they both sat against the headboard, slightly stunned expressions on their faces.

"That was my mom," Emma broke the silence. "The town barrier is down. Everyone can come and go as they please." She grasped Regina's hand. "Apparently, our kisses do more than make us feel good."

"That's good, I guess," Regina replied absent-mindedly. "Because we actually might need to leave every once in a while now."

"Why, what's going on?"

"That was Mrs. Frederic," Regina explained. "She wants to talk to us."

"About?"

"They want us to become Regents of the Warehouse." Regina still sounded somewhat dazed. "And Mrs. Frederic is not someone you say no to."

Emma thought for a moment. "I guess it makes sense for them," she finally said. "We already know about the warehouse, and they need to keep us close somehow."

"I suppose you're right."

"Does that mean I'm finally getting a Tesla?"

Regina laughed with a shake of her head. "You can't let that go, can you?" Then she rolled away from Emma and leaned over the side of the bed. When she sat back up, she held a flat, rectangular wooden box in her hand.

"What's that?"

"A present for you," Regina explained as she pressed the box in Emma's hand. "Helena left it for you."

Emma slowly opened the box. "I don't believe it," she breathed. "Do you know what's in here?" she asked Regina.

Regina nodded. "I asked her for it," she admitted. "You deserve it." Suddenly she was very quiet. "I also think you deserve something else ... if you want to, that is ... but you said you would ... one day ... and the stability would be good for Henry, I guess ..."

Emma stopped her rambling with a kiss. "Yes," she whispered against Regina's lips.

"What?"

Emma smiled. "Did you not just ask me to marry you? With a Tesla gun no less?" She kissed her again. "Not romantic, but much cooler than a ring, by the way."

Regina mirrored Emma's smile. "I guess I did." She paused. "I love you, you know."

"I know."

"And?"

"And I really like the Tesla."

"And?"

"And I really want to marry you."

"I wonder why ..." Regina huffed.

"Because I love you."

"Was that so hard?"

"Nope. But it was fun to see you squirm."

"You're an-"

"Idiot, I know." Emma tossed the box on the floor and covered Regina's body with her own. "Stop talking."

And they spent their last day at the cabin much the same way they had spent the previous six days.

_Happy._

**The End**


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